What is your relationship like with your siblings?

[Paz]

I have one brother who is 5 years younger than me. He owns a company and I work as his office manager. We get along well and work together well. We usually work different hours so we aren't in each other's space. We both have the same health problem so I think we have grown closer through that. I feel very blessed.

[Lawana]

... I'm pretty sure I'd recognize him in a crowd.

We have some pretty funky sibling relationships in my family. Eldest brother, as an adult, divorced himself from the rest of us for about 20 years. He finally started coming around to our mother's house some, but had not "made up" with some of his siblings. The rest of us had a family gathering at my mother's house while my middle brother was in the States and I was in town. Who should show up but Eldest. After conversing with Mom and some of the rest of us for a while, he took me aside and asked, "Who is that on the computer?"

 

My reply, "Your brother."

 

While middle brother figured out who eldest was, both agreed that had they passed on the street, they would not have recognized each other. Sad.

[Lovedtodeath]

I don't see my brother very often (maybe once or twice a year) because he is so busy, and he didn't talk to me for over a year over his wife being mad about a thank you card that I forgot to send when my daughter was born. We are both over that now though. Our spouses don't get along, but I love him and he is there for me and vise versa. I have had a very hard time with my health, with depression, and with my faith. He has checked up on me and given me encouragement.

 

My sister dis-owned my mother and our faith. I haven't seen her or talked to her for 8 years. She contacted me recently and it was very hurtful. It is not a kindness to contact someone that you have hurt so badly. She broke (and is breaking) my mother's heart and I can't forgive her for that.

Edited August 21, 2010 by Lovedtodeath

[babs]

Unfortunately, one of my two brothers is dead, and the other treats me as if I were dead.

It is the saddest thing in my life.

 

Sounds like my brother - suddenly started hating me 3 years ago (I live so far away and cannot remember any falling out when I was visiting then!) I learned during my last visit that he is withdrawing from most people - bitterness cannot be contained. I think he is just bitter and it poisons all of his relationships. So sad. I adore my other brother who is mentally ill, but so sweet and loves the Lord. My sister...I have met strangers that I feel more of a bond with than my sister. We are from different planets for sure. I have tried to keep in touch but the phone conversations are painful.

 

I am always very interested in sibling groups that are close - I so want that for my children. I am committed to being the first generation of many to have close family ties. BTW, I am close to my parents. I think they did a great job.

 

Thanks for asking...always good to ponder.

[Tree House Academy]

My half-brother, I have seen once in my life and wouldn't know him if I saw him on the street. My half sister...well, lets just say I called my dad to tell him to tell her Happy Birthday the next time he sees her. I don't have her phone number, nor do I want it. She holds fights we had as CHILDREN (like 7 and 10) against me and I just can't have such ridiculous people in my life.

[LibraryLover]

My sisters and I travel together, even. I also get along well with my brother; he and dh are very friendly and worked together recently to tune up all our family bikes.

Edited August 23, 2010 by LibraryLover

[Mona100]

I have always told people that I am an only and a baby of the family. I am my mother's only and my father's baby. My father is 22 years older than my mother. I have 5 known half brothers who are my mother's age with children my age and those children are mostly grown and have children of their own. I also have a half sister but I have no idea her name or where she is. Daddy has said he prolly has other children but is not sure. Let's just say papa was a rolling stone back in the day.

 

I am not close at all to the other brothers. I am friends with 3 of them on facebook and friends with several of my nieces and nephews on facebook but I am not close to them at all. It is like I don't even exist, even though one of my brothers just loves my daughter which is a little weird to me since he barely speaks to me. Since my daughter stays with my parents half of the year that is how he sees her.

 

But I remember as a child, my parents had to drop something off at my brother's house and they were all getting ready for a big party in the back with all the other brothers and my nieces and nephews but we were not allowed to stay bc my daddy's first wife (brothers mother) was going to be there; that is such a vivid memory for me and it just rankles me to this day.

[6packofun]

I have a sister, brother and half-brother and none of us are close but we have a pretty good time when we do get together. Unfortunately, it's usually some kind of crisis or sadness that brings us together, like my miscarriage or someone needing to move, the rare holiday that we're all available and interested, etc.

 

I think a big part of it is that I'm a Christian and they are not, I'm married with children and they are not, and the gap between the lives we live is pretty big. They're all doing OK, not into crazy stuff or anything like that, but we have a hard time relating. I just want to see them all in heaven one day and that's what I pray for all the time.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I called one of my brothers that I haven't talked to in a while because of this thread. . .

[meet me in paris]

I'm the youngest of 7. My 3 older sisters are all very close and do lots of things together (they're all closer in age, too - I'm 10 years younger)... I kinda do my own thing. Most of my family live in the same town, but we're military so we live far away (sometimes *really* far away) and truthfully I like it that way. We all get along, but only my 3 sisters are "close" and stay in close contact.

 

My parents are both turning 80... I seriously wonder what will happen to my relationship to my siblings when they pass. It's the glue that's kept us together when many of us don't have much in common.

[Parrothead]

The last time I tried to initiated a relationship the words of my sibling were "Sometimes siblings do not have a close relationship. Nothing personal, that is just the way it is."

[Nakia]

I called one of my brothers that I haven't talked to in a while because of this thread. . .

 

That really blessed me. Thank you for sharing. :grouphug: