Friendships can face unexpected strains when communication becomes one-sided. In an advice column by R. Eric Thomas, one reader wonders if it is still worth pursuing a connection with a friend who only reached out after a year of silence.

One mother-in-law questions whether her daughter-in-law’s Friendsgiving celebration has left the traditional family dinner in the dust. Now, she worries it feels like serving leftovers after a more exciting meal.

A bond stretching back more than three decades has been shaken by post-election tensions when one friend admitted difficulty spending time with “people like me.” In a letter to “Dear Annie,” the writer grapples with whether political differences have made this once-solid friendship unsalvageable.