DR. WALLACE: I'm the youngest of three children in my family, and I know the difference between right and wrong, even though I am still a teenager. As a family, we went to church every Sunday, and I believe I have good values and standards. But because of COVID-19, we haven't been to church in a really long time, and now it's almost Christmas, and of course, we always went to church on Christmas Eve to celebrate with our friends there. I'm not sure if we'll go to Christmas Eve service this year because we want to be safe and there may be limits on how many people can attend.

My problem is I don't feel as connected to God as much as I used to when I had more access to our church. I'm thinking this is probably because I haven't been to church in a while. I do still have my faith, but I feel a bit lost on how to maintain it and celebrate it. I find this distressing at this time of year, since this used to be my most joyous season to experience each year. — Devout and Depressed, via email

DEVOUT AND DEPRESSED: Relationships are what make life rich and full, and you are missing the relationship that you had with the members of your church and, of course, God. The good news is that you can still pray and meditate anytime and anywhere that you wish.

I suggest that you also arrange to make contact with some of your best friends near your age that attend the same church you do. Perhaps you can call and videoconference to keep one another's spirits up during this time. Also check with your church leaders. Many churches, synagogues and mosques have leaders who are able to reach out to members by various methods, including by telephone and videoconference. Check to see what is available with your particular house of worship.

I DON'T WANT TO MOVE TO CALI

DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 years old, and now our family has to move to another state since my parents lost their jobs here due to COVID-19. We've moved many times since I was a young child, but we've been in our current city for almost four years now, and I like it a lot.

I have friends here, and I was just starting to learn to date and become a young lady instead of the tomboy girl I had been growing up. One of my best girlfriends has helped me with my makeup, my clothing choices and my hair.

We are leaving right after the new year to move to California because one of our uncles manages a business there, and he can arrange for both my mom and my dad to get new jobs right in the first week of 2021. I know everyone always says how great "Cali" is, but I don't want to move there.

I'd really like is to stay here in the Chicago area. How do I tell my parents that I don't want to move to California with them? — Want to Stay Behind

WANT TO STAY BEHIND: The COVID-19 situation has been very hard on many families. It's not the fault of your parents that your family must move. I'm sure if they were able to maintain their former jobs, they would have stayed put for a while longer, likely long enough for you to get through high school.

These days, as I am sure you are aware, many schools have closed or have limited on-campus gatherings. This is also true for California at this time. Unfortunately for you, at age 16, you will need to travel with your parents to California for now. Since you may attend school in the Golden State via the internet to start with, you may not find it easy to meet new students in your area at first. But over time, you will.

The good news is that you will likely be able to keep in touch with a few of your good girlfriends in the greater Chicago area via telephone, texts, emails and even video chats. I trust you can still get some valuable fashion and grooming advice from your special friend in Illinois!

Once you're 18 and have graduated high school, you might consider college or even a junior college, and at that point, you can choose to attend one in any state you wish, provided you can afford to do so.

So, plan to go to California, and make the best of it for the next two years. It's a wonderful state with great weather and many nice people. I'm sure that, over time, you'll be comfortable knowing you have good friends in two different states.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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