Have you any family members you have no contact with?

No longer in touch with 98% of my father's family, by choice. Only talk to a couple of cousins in my mother's family, also by choice. I get along with the latter just fine, but it's mostly distance; we live in different states and have very different lifestyles.

Reasonably close to my sister's family - but not my sister herself, LOL - and with my youngest brother. Enjoy my nieces on my paternal side, but do have one nephew I don't talk to. That's his choice; he became peeved at me when his sisters were younger and scared of contacting him (he used to hang around some fairly rough company). He later found out I knew where they lived but had not told him, and said he would never forgive me.

I thought this was hilarious because the reason I didn't tell him was that my niece had made me promise not to tell him where she lived! He finally straightened out his life and their mom got them reunited, but he wasn't inclined to forgive me.

I don't give my word often but when I do, I don't break it. I figure, it's his problem, not mine!
 

It amazes me how complicated so many families are. In my generation (graduated high school in 1955) family problems were hidden. On the surface everyone was happy and well adjusted. Divorce was rare. Appearance was everything. If some infidelity leaked out about a townsperson it became a major scandal.

My siblings and I made an effort to be supportive of one another although we were all 4 quite different. I believe it worked.
 

My older sister who lives in England, we've never been close
A couple yrs ago she didn't; communicate with me for months, I always told her what was going on in my life, then she contacted me via email started communicating again
In 2025, no communication from her at all, I emailed her on her birthday,the 2 times our niece Katie and hubby Zach & son,Xavier came here for brief visits, No Reply She didn't; send me a birthday or Xmas card. I mention this to our younger& only brother{ am very close to him} I said 'I have a sister in name only, deleted her from my contact list,in tears I said' I have female friends who I consider my sisters,she's not& never will be'
He was stunned to hear this ' I'm so sorry' he has always had a relationship with her
 
I'm grateful to have no estrangements with family members or elsewhere in my life. Obviously some folks are more my cup of tea than others, and some I hold at an emotional distance, but staying on at least polite terms with all eliminates awkwardness during family or friend events.

Granted, a lot of potential discord is avoided by my not checking into Facebook more than a few times a year (and almost never commenting or "liking"), having no Instagram account, and enjoying a cross-country buffer zone from most relatives. I text or call the ones I'm close with.

Past estrangements taught me the emotional distress of unresolved issues, so I keep my relationships healthy - including on this very forum.

When there's a tiff I try to smooth it immediately. I search my heart and behavior for my responsibility for the clash, acknowledge and sincerely apologize for my missteps in hopes of cleaning them up, look for a way to move forward with that person, and try to not repeat that behavior with them or others.

My life works so much better when my relationships stay clean so I place great importance on keeping them that way.
 

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