Dear Karma Cleanser:
My friend and I were having a debate about karma and trying to figure out if the advice you gave to another writer could (or should) apply to her situation. She's in a loveless relationship with a guy who makes a lot of money. She can't leave because of the financial aspects of her situation, and because she is actually still in love with the jerk, even if he is not her soul mate. She believes that being in this relationship is her own way of repaying a karmic debt for her last relationship. That one ended because she cheated on the guy. After it was over, she was reading the Karma Cleanser and saw some advice you gave to another person about sacrificing their own wishes and needs for the sake of making up for a bad thing they did to a former lover.
My point to this friend is that she should let go of the past relationship and do what she can to remove herself from the current situation. Do you agree?
Now & Zen
Goodness. We scanned our files and couldn't immediately locate the letter you're referencing. Are you sure it was us and not some rerun from Ann Landers? Anyway, we side with you 100 percent. Your friend should boldly trash any such ideas of repentance for past relationship sins and save herself from the plight at hand. And ask her to e-mail us the original Karma column that put these crazy thoughts in her head. Maybe we were on a sugar high that week and knew not what we wrote!
Dear Karma Cleanser:
(In response to "Beans & Haters"): Although I agree with you that the person talking about their karma with the snow storm and broken pipes is probably a liar, I do, however, take umbrage at the notion that it's impossible to have e-mail access but no celly.
I am one of a dying breed who does not walk around with an iPod, PSP or cell phone attached to me at any given time. And after reading Stephen King's latest book, Cell, I'm reluctant to get one in the future!
Cell-less and Proud
Good point, even if we're a little nervous to listen to a Luddite who reads Stephen King novels.
Been bad? karmacleanser@gmail.com.