I am so sorry you are dealing with all this. It is so difficult. Families are just a pain in the butt, IMO. I mean, really. would we put up with this kind of crap from anyone else? Probably not. But they're "family," so we suck it up. We let them get away with stuff we would never allow a non-family member to get away with. Lots of free passes. Oh well, that's just my sister. She's a handful. What are you gonna do?

I honestly don't know what you should do, @TishaBuv. But I do firmly believe this. Your number 1 priority in all this sister/mom stuff should be you and your sanity and peace. You have your own life. You are not a child anymore. We're not in school. You have a son and friends and a life of your own. If your sisters don't want to have anything to do with you because you are a Democrat or Republican or Green or Independent or Communist, then maybe you should think about moving on. Or if they are mad for any other reason. Perhaps you ought to spend your mental energy on the people who do want to be in your life. Sure, they are technically and biologically your sisters. But that is no sort of guarantee of a great relationship, unfortunately. I think sometimes we see things in movies or on TV or in books that idealize these familial relationships, eSPECIALLY during the holidays, but the reality is, there are lots and lots and lots of families that are split apart for a million different reasons. I have a beautiful, loving, smart 11 year-old daughter that my older and only brother still has failed to acknowledge the existence of. No card, no call, no text, no flowers for her mother, no nothing. He was trying to make a point, being the hardass he thinks he is, after taking sides (my ex-wife's) in my long-ago divorce. Kensie's mother is the partner that followed my ex-wife. The ex-wife who bailed on me when I became manic the first time. So, Steve (brother) refuses to acknowledge that Kensie exists. He also discriminates against me massively because of my addiction and bipolar histories--that's a whole other novel. won't bore you.

So, my best counsel to you is to stop letting them get away with this. Don't let them hijack you. You are in charge of you. Don't put up with that stuff. Healthy relationships are two-way streets, not dead ends, irrespective of genetics.

I have not spoken to my brother in 7 years. He's my brother, but he's a jerk. I don't give it a second thought. I'd rather drink gasoline than hang out with him. I'm not actively angry or bitter anymore. I'm just finished. In my mind, he actually really isn't my family because to me, family means people who love us unconditionally. Without condition. I have never, ever gotten that from him. He couldn't get enough of me when I was at the top of my career and sort of well-known and bringing the kind of cache he so longed for to our last name. He just loooooved me then. Now, he won't talk to me. Hmm.

So, take care of you. Do what you need to do to maintain your sanity and happiness. Don't keep trying to put a square peg in a very round hole. It won't fit. It will just bring heartache. And you don't deserve that. You deserve to be happy and loved.