It was a letter of apology. The short version is, I was told lies about someone by someone I should have been able to trust. And, while I didn't act on those lies, I'm sure my belief in them shaped my relationship with the person being lied about, just as the liar intended.
Hindsight, the rift between the liar and one being lied about came about because the liar was behaving very badly and the other person stood up to them in order to protect me and others from harm. Double whammy.
I was reluctant because I wished I'd never believed the lies in the first place and didn't want to open up old wounds for the person who had been lied about. I was also worried they'd react to me. But, I couldn't leave potential bad blood. That person didn't get a fair shake and I not only owed them an apology but my gratitude for being a champion.
Someone from my past called me about 10 days ago. We talked a few minutes and it was fine to touch base. He has lost a second wife and in a sad place. But then he sent an email to ask if he could fly down to visit me. He shouldn't ask that, should he? He knows I'm happy with how my life is. Still, I found it kind of hard to say no, but I did.