Some uplifting family news

[kathleen_dailey]

Today my spouse spoke to his brother for the first time in decades. (At least two, and possibly three.) Bro left a voicemail on the house phone while we were out to say that SIL had switched to a new phone plan that allowed free calls to Canada, and so here he was. Previous infrequent contact had been through email between spouse and SIL, never between spouse and bro. I never really understood what the beef was, if indeed there was a beef. They're nothing alike in personality or politics, but in earlier years they'd talked reasonably frequently about all the things that two hardware-store-raised boys might be interested in. I've encouraged (not to say pressed, harangued, and pleaded with) spouse to call his bro umpteen multiple dozen times, to no avail. But somehow hearing bro's voice on the message triggered spouse to return the call. It's now about 7:00 p.m. local time and they've been on the phone for an hour, with no drama that I can discern from here. (From spouse's end of convo, it seems to be bro recounting long narratives about people they knew when they were kids, but who can say for sure?)

I can't express how happy this makes me. As an only child, I've often thought that if I had a sibling I'd never let him or her out of my orbit, and it's pained me no end that the two brothers weren't at least friendly. Spouse and bro are now old, and I assume that both can see that it's getting near the end of the day, so maybe lines will finally converge and this will mark a new stage of amity between them before it's too late for any kind of rapprochement.

Comments

[senmut]

Wonderful!

[kathleen_dailey]

It is! I truly hope that the re-established connection lasts. We shall see ...

[kitarella_imagines]

I understand. I have no siblings nor cousins either, although my in laws have never made the slightest effort with me, I'm glad my husband gets on well with his siblings, and our daughter has some cousins. He has to make all the effort with them but it's better he does.

I agree that as we get older, we see the end of the tunnel and want to catch up with people we've dropped along the way. As you say, it is better to make up differences before it's too late.

I'm happy for you and your family 💗

[kathleen_dailey]

I'm happy for you and your family 💗

Thank you!

Quite a few of my friends who have sibs say that they wish they were only children, just as I wish that I'd had a sib or two to take my parents' attention off me. Maybe it's inevitable that humans always wish for what we don't have. Regardless, I agree that it's good that your husband gets on with his siblings and that your daughter has cousins.

[kitarella_imagines]

Yes I think people with siblings think only children are beloved, get everything they want and are adored. I certainly wasn’t, I was an accidental baby and more of a nuisance, but yes I’d have liked not to have all the pressure to do well and make my parents proud etc. etc.

My husband’s siblings are all much older than him and therefore the cousins are much older than our daughter, most were in their teens and 20s when she was born. She didn’t grow up with them, there was no family group of everyone having children at the same time and having playdates and sharing family times. But at least she’s got cousins somewhere she can turn to, because I have none.