Sibling issues
Two different perspectives on a situation like this always makes for good reading.
I'm part of a family who's tight knit. Well, my immediate family. Anyone who becomes part of the family is accepted as family. My mother has accepted both my brother-in-laws and Sarah with them as if she gave birth to 'em. When she was in full faculty, she'd move Heaven and Earth to make sure he "babies" were alright. I never realized how much Pop cared about Sarah until last year. Every phone call I'd make to him to update Sarah's condition was like a kick in the head to him if the news was bad and made his day if the news was good. She was his baby, too.
I can't imagine life without my family.
At the same time, I understand the other side of it, too. In '74 my dad got sick and tired of family and family's attitudes that he packed up his wife and four kids and brought us from Florida to New York.
My visit back to Florida last year made me glad he did.
I have a close friend who calls me "Bub" and I call her "Sis." She's part of every family function. As she says, "sometimes the family you chose is better than the family you're born into."
My family is the same way for the most part, and always has been.
My wife's family would probably eat each other if they were something other than human.
I have always told my kids that life is like a huge ladder that you will be climbing till the day you die.
There will be other people on that same ladder doing the same and you have to try to share it with them.
Some ahead of you will try to help you up the ladder, and some will try to kick you in the face just for being there so close to where they are.
Some behind you on the ladder will help you and push you up so they can also get further.
Some will grab your ankles and try to pull you down just because they can.
You can help some, but don't try to carry too much by yourself or neither of you will make it.
Help the ones that want to climb it with you, but don't carry the ones that don't help you help them.
Kick the ones loose that pull on your ankles and try to make you and everyone you choose to help fall.
This applies to friends and family alike.