Been there, done that, though not as severe a situation. I had lunch today with my eldest daughter. Five years ago, she moved back, right before COVID really hit. Now, everything is great, but for a number of years before it was very hard to communicate. She virtually never answered my phone calls.
You can only do that so long before it gets old. But after a while, I noticed that if I would text her a time or two, I'd probably hear back in a couple days. Usually it was just a few texts, occasionally it was a call.
So at least we managed to maintain contact, at some minimal level, and for anyone in this sort of situation (NOT stalking), I recommend they continue experimenting until they find — hopefully — some way the other person feels comfortable responding, at least a little bit. Keep making the effort, at a modest and appropriate (not nagging or guilt-tripping) level. If they reach a point where they really need help, they will at least know you care.
My grandmother leans into the guilt-trips to reconcile with my younger brother; ha. I don't know if I have the heart to tell her that I spent four years **begging** him to reconcile, *and* giving more-than-enough space. When I brought documentation of my efforts to his pastor (in keeping, I thought, with Matthew 18....) he brought me a TRO for "stalking" him.
At this point, I'm done. If he decides to bury his hatchet and be reconciled, that's on him and the Lord.
Been there, done that, though not as severe a situation. I had lunch today with my eldest daughter. Five years ago, she moved back, right before COVID really hit. Now, everything is great, but for a number of years before it was very hard to communicate. She virtually never answered my phone calls.
You can only do that so long before it gets old. But after a while, I noticed that if I would text her a time or two, I'd probably hear back in a couple days. Usually it was just a few texts, occasionally it was a call.
So at least we managed to maintain contact, at some minimal level, and for anyone in this sort of situation (NOT stalking), I recommend they continue experimenting until they find — hopefully — some way the other person feels comfortable responding, at least a little bit. Keep making the effort, at a modest and appropriate (not nagging or guilt-tripping) level. If they reach a point where they really need help, they will at least know you care.
My grandmother leans into the guilt-trips to reconcile with my younger brother; ha. I don't know if I have the heart to tell her that I spent four years **begging** him to reconcile, *and* giving more-than-enough space. When I brought documentation of my efforts to his pastor (in keeping, I thought, with Matthew 18....) he brought me a TRO for "stalking" him.
At this point, I'm done. If he decides to bury his hatchet and be reconciled, that's on him and the Lord.