Feeling disregarding by extended family

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Summer_Twilight
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29 Dec 2014, 7:53 pm

Hi:
as everyone knows it is the holiday times and that means getting holiday cards and holiday news letters. I have some extended family who I exchange cards and news letters with but we are not close at all. They also have lots of misunderstandings about me and they really are not educated about autism. So they have backed away from me since I was 20. Since then things have been different between us.

Upon talking to some people who do understand, they recommended sending some information about Autism. This year I used a great resource by having a picture since I am a visual thinker. Then along with my usual news letter, I let my family know that they could have handled my situation better. That was was also not okay to exclude me the way they did. Finally I mentioned that I was willing to move on if they were and offered to have them come visit and tour the city where I live.

While none of them have called me or acknowledged what I said I still got a regular card with the news letter. I loved it but a part of me feels like that was not enough.

So what I should I say to their response without acting ugly towards them? How should it be said? Otherwise do you think the letter is going in the right direction? How should I continue to build up on that relationship?



graduate122
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29 Dec 2014, 9:09 pm

I think the letter is definitely a step in the right direction. Maybe you could visit them if you get time off and candidly tell them that you would like them to come visit. Trust me, I know how it feels to get rejected and hurt by family. I forgave my father for kicking me out of the house at 17, at the say so of his psychotic finance. We made amends, and he even paid my recent hospital bill.



Summer_Twilight
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29 Dec 2014, 10:11 pm

I used to be close with one of their children who is quite younger than I am. Then we had a fall out after they hit their teen years next to some other things. I learned in the holiday letter that they have their own blog on different recipes that they enjoy cooking. So I expressed my interest by reaching out and subscribing. Then I am following them on twitter as well. In addition I mentioned in my letter that I am working on a series of vlogs on youtube.

As far as seeing them goes

1. Their parents live in another part of the country where I reside
2. Then their child who has the cooking blog resides on the other side of the world.