Dear Abby
Dear Abby,
I have left my family and moved to Malaysia to work. Since I have been here my family has become very absent. In the beginning they used to email me all of the time, asking about my life and experiences here. Now, 5 years later, no one calls or even emails to see how I am. The truth is that I’m starting to feel like we are not close anymore. I know they love me because we are family and we will always be, but is it too much to expect for them to check in once in a while? Do you think I am being unreasonable? I don’t want to tell them how I feel because then they will only keep in contact because they feel they have to rather than wanting to. What would you do? Signed a sad/confused reader
[Written superbly by the pro people from ENG2P!]
Dear sad/confused reader,
Hi, I have read your letter and I am just giving you some ideas and advice. To me, I think you are being a little unreasonable. You should take it easy and do not think too much about it. I assure that your family realizes this situation as well. I’m not sure whether you put in effort or not. If you made effort and no positive result were shown, then you are reasonable and you don’t expect too much. But if you are just waiting for them to do something, then everything will remain the way it currently is, and you are definitely expecting too much. If I were you, I would make an effort to show that I care about my family by calling them or maybe emailing them every week. If they are not responsive then tell them how you feel and make a plan or solution to solve this problem together. Maybe both sides should call each other, fair and square. I shall pen off now. Good luck to you and your family, all the best! From Abby
I have left my family and moved to Malaysia to work. Since I have been here my family has become very absent. In the beginning they used to email me all of the time, asking about my life and experiences here. Now, 5 years later, no one calls or even emails to see how I am. The truth is that I’m starting to feel like we are not close anymore. I know they love me because we are family and we will always be, but is it too much to expect for them to check in once in a while? Do you think I am being unreasonable? I don’t want to tell them how I feel because then they will only keep in contact because they feel they have to rather than wanting to. What would you do? Signed a sad/confused reader
[Written superbly by the pro people from ENG2P!]
Dear sad/confused reader,
Hi, I have read your letter and I am just giving you some ideas and advice. To me, I think you are being a little unreasonable. You should take it easy and do not think too much about it. I assure that your family realizes this situation as well. I’m not sure whether you put in effort or not. If you made effort and no positive result were shown, then you are reasonable and you don’t expect too much. But if you are just waiting for them to do something, then everything will remain the way it currently is, and you are definitely expecting too much. If I were you, I would make an effort to show that I care about my family by calling them or maybe emailing them every week. If they are not responsive then tell them how you feel and make a plan or solution to solve this problem together. Maybe both sides should call each other, fair and square. I shall pen off now. Good luck to you and your family, all the best! From Abby