DEAR ABBY: My brother passed away six months ago. With difficulty, I am coping. We were very close. Our birthdays were four days apart, and we enjoyed many celebrations together over the years.
My birthday is coming up and I’m dreading the day. Worse than being sad is pretending that I’m not. My immediate family understands I don’t want any cards or “Happy Birthday” greetings. Would it be appropriate for me to contact people before the day and ask them not to send cards or gifts?
