To my dear relative. Congratulations on reaching adulthood.
I know your name, but I won’t reveal it here. You grew up in Graz. The only son of an Austrian father and a Norwegian mother. As far as I know, you never had any contact with your extended family. I have never met you. But I have known about you since before you were born.
I am your uncle.
You might wonder how we know your name and date of birth? Here’s how: The hospital in which you were born called the Norwegian Embassy, informing them a young Norwegian woman had given birth to a boy. They in turn called your grandparents to tell them about you: A healthy baby boy, given a beautiful name. Your name and birth date is the only thing we’ve had for 18 years. To this day, we don’t know why these phone calls were made. But they meant more to us that you might understand.
Being your uncle, I wish I could have been there for you all these years. That I could have been as good an uncle as the two I had in my life. Here’s the reason this didn’t happen: Your father denied us any contact with you. In fact, the last thing your mother ever told your grandmother was that your father would not allow her family to ever meet you. This occurred a few months before your birth.
We were never told any reason behind your father’s decision. I have never understood why he did it. I don’t think it was a nice thing to do. Not to us and not to you. In fact, I think he stole something important from you.
My two daughters have something in common with you. Your grandparents. They have an amazing relationship with them. Their faces light up with joy every time there is a visit. It makes them happy and it brings joy in all of our lives. And why would it not? You probably have the nicest grandparents on earth. I am sure you would have loved them. Neither could they have asked for a kinder aunt and uncle. I would not even consider denying my daughters access to their family. It would have been both unthinkable and cruel.
I believe asking questions is a very natural thing to do. I have often tried to imagine myself being in your shoes. What would I know about my family? Who are they? What are they like?If I had the chance to talk to them, what would I ask? Similarly, I have often been wondering who you are. Who is this person? What are his interests? What is he like and what is his story?
I have been waiting for 18 years to write you this letter. I don’t know if it will ever reach you. But I believe in family. Therefore I believe it is worth it. If you want to contact us, you can do so through this website. We are out here, and we would love to hear from you.
Our very best wishes to you.