Mending Relationships is Possible!
For many of us, mending relationships may seem impossible. We might have fallen out with a spouse, parent, sibling, or children about a minor or even quite serious issue that just seemed to spiral out of control without us really knowing exactly what went wrong. After it is all over we may sincerely want to repair the relationship but my not know how to make that first step.
Mending relationships can be tricky. Often the parties involved may seem to reach a type of stalemate. This usually happens when everything that needed to be said has been said, sometimes in anger. Even if you have been able to handle the situation respectfully you may find it difficult to continue as normal, even if both parties have made the appropriate apologies.
The holidays can be particularly difficult when dealing with this kind of relationship stalemate. Often one of the parties involved will simply stop speaking to the other making it hard to patch things up. But mending relationships is possible! Even couples who have been engaged in a bitter divorce can learn to respect each other again, if they want to.
But what if the estranged person is a dear friend, relative, parent or child? How do you deal with lack of communication, letters and phone calls that go unanswered and a silence that seems carved in stone? Is it possible to repair a relationship that seems to have ended? The truth is that silence can keep us from our loved ones indefinitely if we allow it to. Mending relationships may be scary but it is well worth the emotional cost.
Mending relationships does not necessarily mean forgiving or even forgetting the transgressions that one or both parties might be guilty of. It takes two to tango and it is likely that both people feel guilty or indignant about what has taken place. You might even be surprised to find that the other person has wanted to patch things up with you too. This is not always the case and you need to be prepared to accept rejection of your attempts when they occur.
If years have passed with no contact, don't be disheartened. It may take more than one attempt to make things right. Mending relationships means taking responsibility for the part you played in whatever situation arose. Leave the door open for friends and family to reconnect with you, even if your first attempts are not successful.
