Reconnecting after several years

I was out of town last week for work and had something amazing happen. I have an older Brother that many years ago decided he didn’t want anything to do with the family anymore. By some crazy chance, I happened upon his profile on Facebook which is crazy because Facebook to me may as well be MySpace. I think it’s old and I never use it. We don’t have any mutual friends either and I didn’t have his number in my phone so I’m not sure what led me to his profile. I messaged him and he replied back. I let him know I’d be in his city and asked if he wanted to meet up. He said yes so I met up with him and my nephew. I hadn’t seen either one of them in 30 years but we clicked well it’s as if we hadn’t missed a day. What an amazing gift, I’m so happy.

Have any of you had a similar experience where you reconnected with someone after several years?

Comments

  • Well I see dead people.

  • @Morpheus
    That's incredible!! So happy for you.

    I've had online friends pop back into my life years after drifting apart. Some I've known since I was 16, some my mid-20's. Always cool to have them hit me up and hear how life, love, family, and passions have developed.

    My uncle by marriage showed up to my cousin's wedding. He and my aunt had been divorced since I was like 16 and I'd never seen him, since. Was super trippy to talk with him years and years later, see him older, etc.

    My best friend from childhood moved back into the state when I was maybe 14. She had moved away when we were 8 years old. That was really lovely, when she called to tell me she was back, and wanted to do a sleepover.

    ~ Sunset Snuggles

    🫂 Enthusiast 🏞 Travel Junkie 📷 Shutter Bug

  • I love that for you! Sounds like you not only made up for lost time, but the reconnection gave you both a lot of healing when things were left open from before.

    I also have a brother that no longer talks to the rest of his family. I still think about him. He still comes up in my dreams.

    I hope to someday reconnect like you have.

  • That’s so cool @Morpheus
    I’m so glad you were able to reunite with your brother. It was time and meant to be.

  • That's amazing😭❤️
    I have a VERY similar recent story. I was able to begin the reconciliation process with my youngest sister in February after almost 7 years apart with no contact, and it's been the biggest gift in years. I've been so heartbroken over it. So many tears of joy reconnecting with her and feeling her love again. I'm so happy about it. So yay us!!!
    I also began reconnecting with my parents in October after years of low to no contact and so much sadness. It's been really really good for my healing.

  • @SpicyNSweet I'm so happy for you! I have always said I'm not a blood is thicker than water person. But I bet it's a defense mechanism.

    I came from a broken home and the primary reason I came to Vegas is to start my own adventure seperate from the wounds of family.

    But my mom followed me out here and I welcomed her to stay for 3 months then extended it to 6 because I wanted her to have the time to establish it out here.

    The pattern was we talk until we butt heads. Our old wounds open up. Then she doesn't talk to me for weeks. Over and over this happened until I was so drained I called the crisis line for the first time.

    Now that she moved out, I am flying high in a new direction. I hope to find that same reconcilliation you have @SpicyNSweet

  • @Huggycatbear Family drama is like nothing else for wreaking absolute havoc on our minds and bodies, isn't it?? 💔💔💔
    I'm sorry it got that bad and I'm glad you're doing better now!

    My parents are very very very veryyyyyyy stubborn and conservative religious people, so divorce as a parent is A HARD NO. They reminded me endlessly that God hates divorce.... But guess what I still did? Their responses were so over the top and abusive in many ways, so that's why our rift began. They have softened a lot as they have gotten older though.

  • There’s one part I left out. I’m not really sure why I left it out but what I saw on Facebook was a gofundme. My Brother had a bone infection and had his leg amputated from mid calf down. He had a gofundme to help him buy a prosthetic leg. Although sad, I’m glad I was able to be there for him during this time.

  • Oh wow!!!

  • @Morpheus Omg. That is life altering. I'm so happy you both can be the blessing in each others life right now.

    @SpicyNSweet Thank you. Your words are soothing me. You're right. I think because they are within your barriers and when living together within your sanctuary too.

    Sigh. I hate when God gets brought into the picture like that. The black and white rigid rules remain yesterday's logic for a reason. Two people should not be forced to endure each other, if things aren't right over a long enough time. That's torture.

  • Having family under your roof you're unable to communicate with in a healthy way for whatever reason/s is also torture!

  • @SpicyNSweet You're so right, It has been torture!

    Cheers to you and Morpheus for find a way back to the loved ones you grew up with <3

  • Reading these comments about the difficulty with family for @Morpheus @Huggycatbear and @SpicyNSweet just is very deep emotionally and so personal. Thank you all for sharing.

    I’m a little afraid to even talk about what I’ve been going through but I was also living with a family member this past year. Our relationship was very up and down & I love them so much but…. I won’t go into too much detail but it was verbally abusive and in January it became physical abuse. I was suicidal and eventually ended up in the hospital for a month and that set quite a few changes in motion. Now I’m in a better place.

    have to tell you all that though I didn’t feel comfortable talking about it at that time, being able to go to CC each day and read so much openness, caring as a community, your stories, was very healing for me. I didn’t feel so alone because I knew I had friends here.
    I think we only share a tiny bit of who we are and in my case it’s normally just my opinion (sometimes not well-received I’m sure!).
    I know that many people don’t read the forum and some read but never post. Just know the value in what you all share, who you reach and how it might help someone in a desperate situation.

  • @Carrie_Anne
    thank you for sharing that and glad you got help, .hugs and warmest of embraces, no one should feel they are alone. glad the community gave you comfort when things were rough.

  • @Carrie_Anne It takes incredible courage to talk about this. I'm so sorry that it got so destructive of you that you suffered both verbal and physical abuse.

    I'm so glad your self-care has you feeling safe enough to talk about it here in this community. It shows how much you love yourself.

    We could live separate lives, have seperate views, yet family within our walls brought us to a similar crisis with being suicidal.

    I never want anyone to feel alone in their battles, including myself.

  • @Carrie_Anne I'm really sorry you've experienced that level of trauma and pain😔💔
    Glad you're here and healing❤️

  • Thank you @happybear @Huggycatbear @SpicyNSweet
    It’s weird how suddenly I felt brave enough to share that because only one of my real life friends knows what had been happening.
    There’s something about the sort of anonymity mixed with a receptive and caring space & community that makes a difference.

    And last night I got some incredibly good news about my future.

  • That's fantastic 😊

  • 🙏🏻😊🤗 thanks @SpicyNSweet
    I hope you have peace in your life as well!

  • @Carrie_Anne thank you so so much. I feel LOADS more peaceful than I did before the reconciliation. 🥹❤️
    It's been incredibly overwhelming for me in the best ways to feel wanted and loved and accepted again by my family. Cup FILLED.

  • This is one of the most soulful and heartwarming threads I’ve seen on here. Thank you all for sharing your stories of challenge and growth with.
    I know that it’s a gift to share it
    It’s also certainly a gift to hear it and hold it
    Blessings to you (us) all

    I’m currently working in healing relationships with my Mom and (older/only) brother - both of whom were manipulative and dominating through my youth (and so I pulled away from them).
    I don’t expect them to be different from how they are, but I’m also curious to see how they’ve changed (if at all) and if there’s room for a new type of relationship with them.
    We’ll see :smile:

  • I agree with @EthanNeedsHeld

    Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. My brother and I have kept in touch since reconnecting and we are rebuilding our relationship. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity.

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