Dear Eric: I am friends with a person I dated for a short while. We’re in our 50s. The only reason I still see her is that she doesn’t have any other friends. She is also a sole parent to a difficult teen who also has no friends and has no desire to make any (she tells me this). I do not enjoy her company, although she is a good person.

Dear Eric: I am friends with a person I dated for a short while. We’re in our 50s. The only reason I still see her is that she doesn’t have any other friends. She is also a sole parent to a difficult teen who also has no friends and has no desire to make any (she tells me this). I do not enjoy her company, although she is a good person.

In today's Asking Eric column, R. Eric Thomas responds to someone who no longer wishes to be friends with their ex-partner.

On the rare occasion that it’s something good, like trying a new medication, starting to exercise or getting a job again, I respond with encouragement and praise. But even the good news devolves into more complaints about what isn’t going right.

Discover Asking “Eric’s advice on navigating challenging friendships. From setting boundaries with a controlling friend to managing exhausting emotional dynamics, learn compassionate ways to