Puppyluvs,

It's really odd that you would post this kind of thread. But odd in a good way.

Yesterday was the 31st anniversary of my Mom's death. I had been estranged from my brother for many years. I'm 51 and Dave is 56. We had a falling out over (what else??) money/inheritance (mucho denero). Alot of awful, hurtful things were said.

I've been thinking about calling him and it took me 2 weeks to get the courage up to call him. Well, yesterday I did. At first he thought I WANTED something from him. I apologized for being such a jerk. He explained the inheritance situation (my aunt, his Godmother, passed away and he was executor of her estate). He said that before my aunt passed, they discussed every aspect of what she had and how she wanted it dispersed. The Living Trust was set up and legalized. When she passed, my brother did exactly as instructed in the Living Trust. Alot of family members were furious, including me because my aunt told me before she died that she would send me a check to pay off my car. Anyway, my brother was called every name in the book and the family stopped talking to him, including me. He told me he didn't WANT to be executor of her estate but she insisted. He said he didn't know how bad it would get till the time came. I got my grandmother's wedding ring. I cherish it.

To make a long story short, we made amends to each other, said we loved each other and promised to keep in touch via phone and email.

Moral of the story is...Life is WAY to short to hold a grudge, especially over something as trivial as money. Stuff is just STUFF and you can't take it with you. Family is forever.