An Open Invitation To Peace Talks

Dear .....

Let me start by saying I have wronged you, our collective past is littered with mistakes on both sides, but for my part I am sorry. Through a combination of lack of experience, lack of understanding and frustration I made mistakes at times in the way I handled situations, in the way I addresses the negativity & hostility which i now see was inevitable. Looking back it was I who should have demonstrated the emotional maturity to understand your position & for that lack of understanding I am deeply remorseful.

We have reached a junction now, where, in my humble opinion, only two paths lay open to us. We can move forwards, putting our joint mistakes behind us, forgiving our errors and attempting to find harmony or we can move still further apart giving us both the sanctuary from further injury we both desire. The first is a harder and longer road, but one which i believe will have a greater reward at the end, the second is an easier walk, but holds little if anything at the end.

There are, as I'm sure you will agree, two other possibilities, both of which must, straight away be cast aside, we can not go backwards, though wounds heal over times we will both carry the scars inflicted from those battles for ever, there is no way back to rectify the past, as i have said i regret the perceived harm you feel I am in part or in whole responsible for, but i cant rewind time and erase it. Further we can not stand still, the battle which rages between us, too often unspoken and unaddressed is leaving the very people we love laying wounded on the field of conflict, we must stop this now. No more can we continue to wage war using others as foot soldiers, If confrontation is the only way to resolution is must be between us and not using others as humans shields.

It is my firm belief that if we start by not looking at the scars inflicted on ourselves, but look at the scars we leave on others we may yet find peace. I have faced and made peace with my shortcomings, can you in turn do the same? If you can't then i feel the unseen and unheard casualties will continue to be hurt, continue to be pulled from one camp to another. this we must work together to stop straight away, if we don't we are no better than the decisions made by others which led you to where you are today.

I hope you find peace, find resolution, I hope that by admitting my part in your pain you may grasp the offered olive branch, not for me and probably not for you, but for those around us who feel each blow, each shot fired twice as much as either of us. I beg you to look at yourself, begin to see that we are each both victim and villain, both light and dark, both to blame.