Ask Amy: Navigating Personal Dilemmas

From reclaiming gifted quilts to handling grief and insensitive questions, Amy Dickinson provides advice.

A woman who gifted a quilt to her ex-mother-in-law wants it back due to its increasing value, but advice columnist Amy Dickinson advises against asking for it back as it was a gift.
A grieving daughter feels taken advantage of by her sister-in-law who asked for her late mother's possessions immediately after her death.
Dickinson advises the grieving daughter to acknowledge her feelings and express them, either directly to her sister-in-law or through writing.
Dickinson also advises a widow on how to respond to insensitive questions about when she will start dating again.
The widow's suggested response is '...when I am ready,' leaving little room for pressure.