Now that I am nice and warm with my crackling fire in the fireplace,

I distance myself from anyone who is like that ...family or not

Abuse is both agonizing and traumatic. You can recover and heal, but those scars will always be there. You have to learn who is healthy to be around and who is toxic to your wellbeing. Just because it's family doesn't minimize it, make it justified, or command that you can't break free from those harmful bonds.

Forgiveness helps the person doing the forgiveness. I stay away from mine because there's been way too much.

I would forgive and love them from a distance.

glad to see you survived the trip to the basement...

....while it is more difficult to distance yourself from family members if the person is truly abusive or harmful to you then staying away seems like the best alternative

Forgive, it's better for the abused person, but love them from a distance

Keep away from toxic people...live them from afar..not a fire...lol

There is no forgiving or forgetting abuse. Abusers should be killed.