Dear Dr. Laura, 

I'm a fairly new listener and a podcast subscriber.  I'm far behind on your show because I refuse to skip ahead to the current podcasts, lest I miss something relevant to my life. 

Before I started listening--and thus before I came to understand what your show is all about--I wrote you a few emails that were way off-base. Now I get you are not a private email consultant! You're on the radio to help everyone by each caller's example. What a brilliant way to make a HUGE positive contribution to the world. And you're amazingly well-suited to it. 

Thanks to you, I've made so many positive changes, big and small, in my life over the last six months. The most significant took shape yesterday when I had an email from my mother, who only gets in touch when she needs something. She used to live with me, but moved out, and now here she was again, attempting to tug at my heartstrings because she screwed up her latest attempt at independent living. I must admit I was thankful it was via email and not phone, because I had a chance to think about my response. I put on my Dr. Laura Hat and realized I only had to say "No, Mom." I wrote that I was sorry she was having troubles, but that I wasn't available to help. The end! I didn't explain myself and I didn't feel bad! That's all because of you. You made me realize I would never act that way with my own children, because I'm the mom and they're the children. D.U.H. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, 

Pam