Dear Joe:

Three days ago, you wrote: “My parents are very warm people but I do not feel as close to them as I guess I should be. I have always kept them at a distance”.

Three days later, you wrote: “I called my brother last night and he confirmed much of what I said here about my parents. Or mainly my mother. He called it ’emotional neglect’.. said that our mother was unable to connect with us… had a very cold relationship with her father… my parents rarely visited my niece even though they only live 20 minutes away”.

I am confused: you wrote today that your brother “confirmed much of what I said here about my parents”- but he didn’t confirm what you said:

You said that your parents are “very warm people”, and he said that they were emotionally neglected others, that your mother was unable to connect, that she “had a very cold relationship” with her father and distant relationship with her niece. What your brother said is the opposite of what you said. I don’t understand. Can you explain this to me?

anita