I just needed to voice this somewhere. Thanks for listening.

I'm sad. My sister and I have always been close, despite living in different states. We used to talk every week.

I know that she's *busy*. I know that her job is incredibly stressful and she's working a lot of overtime. The last thing I want to do is to add to her stress.

But... I didn't get to talk to her today (Christmas). I tried calling her, and she didn't have voice mail set up on her new phone yet, so I couldn't leave a message (and she didn't pick up). I sent her a quick email, telling her Merry Christmas and letting her know her voice mail isn't set up.

I didn't even get an email reply back.

So, I'm sad. But it's more than that. It's that we rarely talk anymore. When I call, she doesn't answer. Sometimes she calls me back... but lately, she just doesn't. A couple weeks will go by, and then I'll call her back a second time to try to get in touch.

We've gone from talking once a week to talking every 4-6 weeks.

It's really hard for me to feel any sense of connection like this. And, frankly, she's the only person in my family I feel connected/related to at all (the rest of them are crazy, I keep in touch, but it's really painful/stressful.) I just don't feel connected like this...

I don't think there's anything I can do. I've mentioned it casually, but don't want to create more stress for her.

I almost just wish I could move to the other side of the country and disown my entire family, I think it would be less painful . I feel awful for even thinking that, but... *sigh*.

I don't think I need advice, just to be heard... and maybe some hugs. Thanks.