It was just recently that they put a stay in place in our state. I was worried about my mother and brother who both reside in another state. I also have another estranged brother whom I’d not spoken to in almost eight years. He had tried reaching out once after I had gone no contact. I rejected his attempt. I had in my mind grieved any possible scenario of sickness and death and never speaking to him again.

Once the pandemic happened, I went over the same idea of being okay with not saying goodbye to my estranged brother. The hurt felt too deep. Then when I called my mother, she had said my brother whom I was estranged from asked my mother if I was OK. That’s all it took for me to reach out.

I asked for his number and we immediately reconciled. I felt the seven years of hurt and anger was gone in just that interaction. We needed space, and both of us with what was going on were on the same page of reconnecting with forgiveness and empathy to one another.