Dear Annie:<$> On December 10, 2006, The Compassionate Friends, allied organisations, churches, hospitals and funeral homes will observe the 10th anniversary of the Worldwide Candle Lighting — a day set aside each year to honour and remember all children who have died far too soon. At 7 p.m. local time, candles will be lit for one hour in remembrance of the children gone, but never forgotten, creating a wave of light around the world.

Unfortunately, every year we are faced with tragedies that make this circle of light grow ever larger. As we light our candles, we remember the servicemen and women who have died in defence of their country, schoolchildren who have died senselessly at the hands of others, those who have suffered long-term illness or died before they could see the light of day, and the many, many others who have lost their lives to AIDS, suicide or accident.

Your readers need not have had a child of their own perish to appreciate why this day is so special. We invite them to join The Compassionate Friends Worldwide by lighting a candle, whether at one of the hundreds of formal services around the country, or simply by lighting a candle with friends and family in their home.

Anyone wishing to locate a nearby service or receive more information is welcome to visit TCF’s national website at www.compassionatefriends.org or call 1-877-969-0010. In addition, throughout the day of the Worldwide Candle Lighting, your readers are invited to leave a caring message in our online Remembrance Book. We light a candle to remember our lost sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, grandchildren, friends and neighbours, that their light may always shine. — Patricia Loder, Executive Director, The Compassionate Friends/USA

Dear Patricia Loder:<$> We hope our readers will again participate in the Worldwide Candle Lighting and light a candle next Sunday, December 10, at 7 p.m., and remember every child who is no longer with us.

Dear Annie: I’m a 12-year-old boy, and I have a problem with another kid at school. “Jimmy” is a nice guy and all, but he always sits next to me in class and is very distracting. He rarely gets his homework done and always asks me for either my notes or the assignment just before it is due.

How do I tell him to stop distracting me, and that he needs to study and do his homework? I don’t want to hurt his feelings. — Distracted and Annoyed

Dear Distracted:<$> Do you have assigned seats? If so, ask the teacher to move you. Otherwise, park yourself between the window and another student so Jimmy cannot sit near you. If that doesn’t work, tell Jimmy that doing his homework on time will help him do better in class. Suggest he talk to the teacher about getting extra assistance. He may be a little miffed, but that’s OK. He’s taking advantage of your kindness, and in the long run, you aren’t really doing him any good.

Dear Annie:<$> My wife and I retired to Florida several years ago and have since been visited by friends from up North who ask if it’s OK to visit us for a day or two. Unfortunately, their plans are flexible enough to change with anything we can come up with to be busy.

It was fun at first, but has turned into a lot of work to house, feed and entertain people. How do we gracefully discontinue putting up friends without offending them? Pointing them to a nearby motel would really hurt their feelings. Can you help? — Too Much Company

Dear Too Much:<$> You aren’t going to find any peace and quiet if you aren’t willing to speak up. It’s perfectly OK to tell your friends that you love them dearly, but you can no longer handle the constant entertaining. Offer to take them out after they get settled at their motel.