Holidays

 Hey Abby,

Holidays are hard. I just want you to remember a few things:

You deserve an apology from your parents. They had enough information to do right by you, but they chose dogma instead. They chose their understanding of their religion over your well-being, and that wasn't okay.

You're never going to get that apology, or any kind of real restitution, but I'm still sorry that you went through that. That grieves me for you. I want better for you. You deserved better. You deserved a Din Djarin, who would defy his religion to take off his helmet to see you off.

The way they act, the values with which they chose to indoctrinate you, the way they treated you, was all deeply wrong. And you have rejected those values. You don't need to prove that to anyone; it's already very clear.

They don't have any right to be judging you. You don't need to prove your success to anyone, either. You're not your brother, and you were never going to be. You still deserve a good life, regardless of what your family thinks you deserve.

It's okay for you to lie to them. They haven't earned the right to your honesty. That's okay.

Be friendly and reserved, stand up when it's needed, and stay true to your values. You'll get through it, and hopefully you'll still come out the other side with some positive memories.

Merry Christmas. <3 You're loved.