Today, I want to focus on celebrations. It actually feels like I am losing ground at the moment, but in the end, I will be winning. This weekend I celebrated my friend Moa’s birthday. She had been such a big support to me. She invites me out and to dinner. I am a social person, but I have a difficult time figuring out what to do. I am happy to go along, and she and I have spent many hours talking. I’m so very glad I met her. She has been a rock for me, giving me guidance and suggestions, and most of all, love and friendship.

I am celebrating with Moa and her daughter, who is graduating tonight. I will help set up and get to be part of the festivities. This will be my first actual Swedish graduation.  Parents have signs with their children’s first grade photos, they recieve ribbons with stuffed animals or other things to wear around their neck. They wear a white hat with a black brim and go around town in cars or walk, blowing whistles and horns and making all kinds of noise into the evening hours. It goes on for about two weeks as graduations happen on different days. It can be noisy, but the kids have fun, and it’s only a short time, although it can feel like a long time because of all the students.

The hat style goes back to 1845 and is called the Oxford hat. You can read more about it here. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_cap

I am also celebrating my time in Sweden. I have accomplished the dream of living here for a year. I have gotten to see and experience new things. I made new friends, and although my time is coming to an end, I achieved my goal. It is a bit anticlimactic leaving the way I am, but I am celebrating my strength and belief  that this is for the best. There have been many ups and downs. Life has not turned out the way I hoped, but I can see a brighter future.

I am celebrating my work on myself thus far. There has been a lot of self reflection, healing of myself, and my relationships. I still have work to do, but life is a journey, not a destination. There will be more healing to come as I let go of the past and move into the present and future.

I am celebrating realizing my worth. Realizing that I am a kind and generous person. Discovering that I can do hard things, make changes, and meet challenges as they come. I can not imagine how life will be, but I know there are good things in store. I am celebrating setting boundaries of what I will and will not allow in my life. I am willing to put myself first so I can help others in the future. I am celebrating the difficult times that have propelled me to take a path now. I am celebrating what I bring to the world.

I am celebrating that I have written my blog for the past 18 months. I am celebrating the wonderful people I have met and will continue to meet. I am celebrating that I have more than just friends and family following my blog and that perhaps I can bring light to you by my stories. I am celebrating the deliciousness of life. I am celebrating the messy middle when I can not see the light, knowing tomorrow will be better.

I am celebrating my stepchildren and grandchildren who have chosen me in their lives, instead of me being forced on them. I am looking forward to more adventures and developing stronger ties to them as life progresses. There must be sorrow to experience joy. There must be darkness to be able to appreciate the light. There are more challenges on the way, and I look forward to meeting them with a renewed perspective. I am celebrating my resilience and love.

Thanks to you, my beautiful family and friends, I have become aware of how fortunate I am. You have encouraged and uplifted me when I am down and celebrated my accomplishments. I have much to be grateful for, and while I am facing some big challenges right now, this too shall pass. Life will go on. Everything will be okay.

I am celebrating my move back to the States and the life that awaits me. There is more story to be written, more things to discover, and more life to live. May you celebrate your greatness and your light. You share it with me so often, and for that, I am grateful. Don’t be afraid of the future and let go of the past. Move forward with courage, and I will as well. I still have anxiety about my next steps, I have a tightness in my stomach and chest, but I know whatever comes next, I can do it. I feel you all cheering me on, and I am doing the same for you! We will get through this, whatever it is. Let’s spread light to everyone we meet and bring love and peace to those around us.