My Dearest Children, Thomas and Nicole,

I hope this letter finds you both in good health and contentment, despite the distance that has grown between us. It’s with a heavy heart and a hopeful spirit that I reach out to you today, not to argue or persuade, but to share my perspective, my reflections and the profound impact our current world situation has had on our family.

The era we find ourselves in, marked by the global pandemic and response to it, has undeniably been one of the most challenging periods of our lives. It has tested the fabric of society, strained relationships, and polarised opinions in ways we could have never anticipated. Through it all, your mother and I have felt a growing concern over how these divisions have not only influenced the world at large but have seeped into the very core of our family, creating a chasm that seems to widen with each passing day.

In this period of isolation and reflection, we’ve all been on our own personal journeys. Journeys that have taken us through a spectrum of emotions and realisations, which while fraught with challenges, have also been pathways to growth and understanding. They have broadened our perspectives, allowing us to see the world and each other in new light. This growth, though painful at times, is a testament to our capacity for change and understanding.

In reflecting upon this time, it’s clear to see how the societal landscape has been dramatically altered. Authorities, media, and various platforms have, in many ways, amplified these divisions, employing tactics that have served to censor dissenting voices, dismiss alternative viewpoints and even harass those daring to question the prevailing narrative. Such actions have stifled meaningful dialogue and labelled many, including us, under derogatory terms meant to silence and isolate.

Your mother and I have always encouraged open-mindedness and critical thinking, values we hoped to instil in you both from a young age. It pains us to see how these values, once celebrated, have become sources of contention, driving wedges between us and our community, and tragically, within our family.

The strategies and techniques wielded in the public sphere—censorship, dismissal, harassment—have not been abstract concepts for us. They have had real, tangible impacts. Friendships decades old have dissolved in the blink of an eye. Our attempts to engage in open, honest conversations have too often been met with silence or rejection. The pain of this distance, of words unsaid, gifts unopened and emails unreturned, is difficult to articulate.

In our most challenging moments, it’s the thought of you both that brings us solace and strength. The memories of our times together, of laughter shared and lessons learned, remind us of the unbreakable bonds that connect us. It is these bonds that compel me to write to you today, not to deepen our divisions, but to bridge them.

I write not to argue who is right or wrong but to express a simple, unalterable truth: we miss you dearly. The world may be fraught with conflict and confusion, but our love for you remains constant and unwavering. Our door and our hearts are always open, ready to welcome you back not just as our children, but as the individuals you have grown to be, with your own beliefs, opinions and perspectives.

Let this letter be a first step toward understanding, reconciliation, and healing. May we not allow the world’s tumult to dictate the terms of our relationship but instead find ways to reconnect, to listen and to love.

With all the love in the world,

Your parents

Steven & Annemarie