Of all hardness of heart there is none so inexcusable as that of parents toward their children. An obstinate, inflexible, unforgiving temper is odious upon all occasions; but here it is unnatural.

An unforgiving temper is unpleasant anywhere and hardest to understand between a parent and a child. That relationship is the one place where the rules about earning affection are meant not to apply, and when they start applying, something has gone against the grain. Long silences of this kind are often built from pride on both sides and a first move nobody makes. That does not make them simple, and some have good reasons behind them.

If there is a silence like this in your life, consider whether one small contact is possible, with nothing required. If it is not, you are allowed to leave it where it is.