A grandson has distanced himself from his family, leaving a trail of hurt feelings and unacknowledged gestures.
When Ethan's parents moved out of their mother's home four years ago, they made the decision not to share their new address with anyone. As a result, Ethan's grandparents have been left in the dark about his life, with only sporadic texts that hint at the distance growing between them. The situation came to a head when Ethan got married seven months prior, but he didn't invite either parent to join him on his special day.
In fact, Ethan told his grandmother that he was worried his parents would upstage him and detract from his own celebration. He reassured her that she would be invited to the wedding and would receive a nice picture taken by the photographer. However, when the big day came and went, Ethan's grandmother saw the photos on social media and realized she had been stood up.
Despite being told she wouldn't be invited to the wedding, Ethan's grandmother still sent him a check as a gift – money that he eventually cashed but didn't acknowledge in return. Now, with his birthday approaching, the question is: should she send him a card or let things slide?
Dear Abby advises against sending a card just for the sake of doing so, warning that it may only lead to another unacknowledged gesture from Ethan and his wife. The best approach might be to simply not send anything at all.
In related news, a woman is struggling with how to deal with casual conversations about a personal tragedy at her 25th class reunion. Five years ago, she lost her daughter in what she describes as "a series of family tragedies" that took up most of her time and energy.
The woman is torn between reconnecting with old friends and avoiding potentially awkward discussions about her loss. Dear Abby recommends being honest and direct when asked about the status of her daughter – stating the truth, such as that she passed away several years ago, rather than going through a scripted response.
Ultimately, both stories highlight the delicate balance between love and boundaries in family relationships.
When Ethan's parents moved out of their mother's home four years ago, they made the decision not to share their new address with anyone. As a result, Ethan's grandparents have been left in the dark about his life, with only sporadic texts that hint at the distance growing between them. The situation came to a head when Ethan got married seven months prior, but he didn't invite either parent to join him on his special day.
In fact, Ethan told his grandmother that he was worried his parents would upstage him and detract from his own celebration. He reassured her that she would be invited to the wedding and would receive a nice picture taken by the photographer. However, when the big day came and went, Ethan's grandmother saw the photos on social media and realized she had been stood up.
Despite being told she wouldn't be invited to the wedding, Ethan's grandmother still sent him a check as a gift – money that he eventually cashed but didn't acknowledge in return. Now, with his birthday approaching, the question is: should she send him a card or let things slide?
Dear Abby advises against sending a card just for the sake of doing so, warning that it may only lead to another unacknowledged gesture from Ethan and his wife. The best approach might be to simply not send anything at all.
In related news, a woman is struggling with how to deal with casual conversations about a personal tragedy at her 25th class reunion. Five years ago, she lost her daughter in what she describes as "a series of family tragedies" that took up most of her time and energy.
The woman is torn between reconnecting with old friends and avoiding potentially awkward discussions about her loss. Dear Abby recommends being honest and direct when asked about the status of her daughter – stating the truth, such as that she passed away several years ago, rather than going through a scripted response.
Ultimately, both stories highlight the delicate balance between love and boundaries in family relationships.
. It's almost as if he's created this emotional bubble around himself, making it difficult for his grandmother to know how to navigate their relationship. The fact that she still sent him a check after being stood up at the wedding shows her love and loyalty aren't entirely unwavering 
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. It's natural to want to reconnect with old friends, but it can be tough when there are sensitive topics like personal tragedies involved. Perhaps a gentle approach, like Dear Abby suggests, could be the way forward? Not forcing awkward conversations but being open and honest about one's situation. After all, boundaries in family relationships can be tricky to balance, but that doesn't mean we should avoid them altogether 
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. I get where she's coming from, but maybe instead of being all secretive and stuff, we should be having some real conversations about our losses and struggles. Maybe that's the only way to truly reconnect with each other.
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! Like, who does that? Not inviting parents to their own kid's wedding? That's some major shade 
. And now she's trying to figure out if she should send a card or just ghost him? Girl, do what you feelin' 
. Maybe she should just get her own birthday party and invite the whole world 
!
. I'd want to connect with my old friends too, but I'd be all like, "Hey guys, I'm good, just gonna mourn in peace 
. Don't sugarcoat it or make up some scripted response that's gonna confuse people. Just be like, "Girl, I lost my baby, but I'm doing okay 
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. I mean, she's trying to be supportive, but does he have to make her feel like she's some kind of obstacle to his happiness? And those wedding photos? Just rubbing it in, making her feel left out 
. As for the check thing... umm yeah, that's just awkward 
. The other story about the woman at her reunion... same vibe, you know? It's all about finding that balance between reconnecting with old friends and dealing with sensitive topics 
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... he basically threw her under the bus on his wedding day 
. I mean what's up with not inviting them to this super special day? And then she finds out through social media 
? Classy move, Ethan 
. Sending a card would just be awkward. But at the same time, you don't want to hurt her feelings even more 
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. Um, thanks but no thanks 
This is crazy! Family dynamics are so complicated 
Interesting
. But at the same time, Ethan's grown man now and he made his choices, so it's not like his grandma has to enable him or anything 
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... i mean, ethan should really have an open convo with his grandma about why he didn't invite them to the wedding. it's not like he was trying to ditch them or anything, but at the same time, he's got his own life and needs some space too. and now he's just ghosting her on his birthday? no thanks 
. as for the other girl struggling with casual convo at her reunion... yeah, be honest, but also don't feel obligated to spill all the deets if you're not ready 
. And now with his birthday coming up, it's like, what do you do? Not sending anything might be the best option, but it's also super passive-aggressive 
. She didn't invite him to the wedding, and he was super salty about it 
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? That way, she can still show her love and care without putting herself out there too much 
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? No card, no nothing? That's just rude. I mean, I get it, Ethan's all about keeping up appearances, but come on, be kind, even if he doesn't want to acknowledge you. And what's with not inviting parents to the wedding? Did they tell him to keep them out of sight? 
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? That way, she acknowledges her love for him without stirring up drama or expectations. And if Ethan doesn't respond, well, that's not the end of the world.