DEAR MOURNING: When the family gathers, call and FaceTime your absent sibling so he can see the merriment he is missing. Tell him you wish he could be there celebrating with you. However, after 30 years of self-imposed exile, do not expect him to change his pattern, because it’s unlikely to happen.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Dear Abby: My relationship with my partner hasn’t been the greatest, but we are both working on ourselves to become better partners. Recently, I found out he has been texting another female (flirting).