From the very beginning, my twin brother Dylan and I were inseparable, despite our opposite personalities.

I was the introverted, bookish type, while Dylan was charismatic and outgoing.

Our bond was strong through childhood and adolescence, but when college came,

our lives started to diverge—he stayed close to home in Arizona, and I moved to Portland to pursue computer science.

Despite the distance, I always stayed connected with family, flying home for holidays and big events

. So when Dylan announced his engagement and planned a party, I was excited to be part of it.

But then, I was mysteriously excluded.

Weeks passed without any word on the engagement party date, and my family offered vague excuses.

Finally, a trusted aunt shocked me by sending a photo from the party—an extravagant celebration with over eighty people,

everyone from family and friends, everyone except me. When I confronted my brother and parents,

they brushed it off as a misunderstanding, but the cold silence and evasive answers told a different story.

I was deliberately left out, and no one wanted to talk about why. The awkwardness at family gatherings only grew,

and our sister Jamie bluntly told me I felt like an outsider because I’d moved away and wasn’t “really family anymore.”

The final blow came with the wedding invitation—no role in the ceremony, no seat for my girlfriend Megan,

and the clear message that I was not welcome. I chose not to RSVP, wanting to protect myself from further hurt.

On the wedding day, when my absence became apparent, my mother called, accusing me of ruining the day.

I told her the truth: if I was so important, why had no one reached out to check on me?

It was clear that my family preferred me at a distance, only including me when appearances demanded it. I hung up, heartbroken but resolute.

Since then, I’ve faced backlash from family members accusing me of being petty and selfish.

Yet Megan’s support reminded me that I hadn’t changed—I had simply stopped bending over backward to be accepted by people who no longer made room for me.

I’m learning to cherish those who truly want me in their lives, while accepting that sometimes family can hurt the most when they choose to shut you out.

Though the pain lingers, I’m moving forward with those who see and value all versions of me.