Have you ever explored your ancestral history?
With a parent being #1 and a grandparent #2, how many generations of ancestors are you aware of? If you knew of something bad an ancestor did would you share it?

A friend did that and it backfired. She found her cousins were not part of their family.  I mentioned it before.  

I have nit had that happen althought one thought it had happened to her. Mainly I have found that some relatives who were rich and famous were real duds when it came to being family.

Not everyone wants to be close to extended family.

I know. I am debating what info to put into a snail letter to a 3rd cousin, now.

Be thoughtful. They won’t turn you away if they are curious and you are kind.

It will be interesting as they do not seem to be aware of our mutual Native American ancestors or even a true gf.

Would they want to know?

Not sure. I found her younger sister's attempt on Ancestry but it was very small and not accurate. My gm was their gm's cousin and another lived here while in nursing school. Very close.

Learning from my friend’s mistake, she would have had better results if she let them know she had learned something possibly controversial about the family and would they want know.  You would think yes, but things don’t always appear the same to different people.