From out of the Valley

By Anita Wahlstrom

My Omi is an optimist.
Brightness, hope, cheerfulness, and joy flow out of her with a kind of confidence and wisdom that I can’t quite describe, except to say that when I sit with her and talk with her this power pours out of her soul and begins to fill me.
Today, I arrived knee deep in the valley of my life. “How are you?” she asks
“How have you been?”
“What you been doin?” Her eyes grab me.
“Oh the usual, work, stuff like that,” I reply.
“Things are pretty good, I guess. I try to raise my voice a little to sound hopeful and happy.
“How have you been?” she asks again. So, I go to the positive. But eventually my voice lowers and softens. I am still there in the valley—trudging through the muck. I stay there for awhile—talking and telling her. She listens. She validates.
Then it happens. She guides me across the valley and guides me up to the highest peak of the mountains surrounding my life, and with a graceful swoop of her outstretched arm, she illuminates everything. She shows me the flowers, the bright grass, the sparkling waters that reside in the valley.
“I admire your courage,” she says. She’s talking about my church lessons, which, for me, are equivalent to jumping out of an airplane.
“My courage?” I answer. “I don’t know about that. I don’t know if I have much courage. I don’t know if I do a good job, you know. I chuckle and laugh. Looking away from the green towards the muck with a comic abandon. Do I feel most comfortable when I am stuck?
“You know you do a good job. You know it Anita. You do.” She doesn’t give up. And I’m here on the mountain top. I see the black spots but from here it is hard to miss the beauty—the fields of flowers, the rows of glittering leaves.
“Well, I guess I do sometimes. I am learning. I know that much”
“You have to tell yourself that you do a good job. You have to think this way.” She says. I smile. I relax. I let her optimism—this power she has—flow into me.
“Yeah, life’s pretty hard.” I say. Why do I like being stuck in the mud?
“That’s’ life” She smiles. She laughs. Her eyes sparkle. “Things could be more worse. They can always be more worse. We have to be grateful. You have to be grateful—Always grateful”
We talk about a lot of things, good and bad. She walks me out today. I hug her ten times. She grabs my face. And now I can’t remember what she said, but I feel her still inside me. And because I am her granddaughter—I have her genes, her blood, part of her being in me—I don’t plod down the mountain and I don’t even skip or slide down. I spread my wings and fly.

I'm still here

Hi everyone or no one that follows my blog. I am wanting to get started again...to get some writing up. I have been inspired by my niece Lindsey. She just started a blog and I really loved what she wrote. SO. I am trying people - person - anyone to get with it and try to do some posts.

Copy this link and see some pictures from my trip to PARIS !!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028399&id=1076142647&l=898dc5303c

Copy this address and view pictures from my trip to Bulgaria

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2036542&id=1076142647&l=019930c5fd

Olivia's Recital

Olivia's recital this year was awesome. She is a beautiful dancer - I love watching her dance.


Me, Olivia, and Kevin


Olivia and Jenna


Olivia with Grandpa and Grandma Wahlstrom, Cousins: Kylie and Taylor


Olivia with Grandpa and Galina Nielsen


Me, Kevin and Olivia


Olivia with David and Erica

David has lots of talents

Well I found out something new this weekend about my soon to be son-in-law. Kevin bought a new shirt for our family pictures -- when we brought it home we found that the shirt had long sleeves --not good for the summer family pictures. So we cut the sleeves and David proceeded to set up the sewing machine and hem the new sleeves. WOW the kid can sew. He has lots of other talents - Another one being a "Comedian" He is a great guy and he is really quite funny. Thanks to David I no longer have to sew or mend :)

I miss my brothers.....

Here are a few pictures of Stefan and Valentine. Stefan as I have posted before took sixteenth place in the the World Cup in France just last month. Seeing these pictures makes me think of spending time with my brothers in Bulgaria. This really makes me miss them. Hugs and Kisses to my gorgeous brothers!


Valentine and Stefan in Bulgaria


Stefan at the World Cup February 2009

Movie Reviews for this weekend

So I went to see two movies this weekend. The movie situation has been dry as a bone lately, and I needed a movie fix. The first movie we saw was KnowingThis is a science fiction thriller, starring Nicolas Cage. Cage was great (as usual--I'm a fan)The movie had great intensity, and an eeriness to it that worked. I loved the cinematography/photography. The colors were rich, but muted -it was noticeable - and I am having a hard time describing it. Cage's house was very creepy. I really liked this movie. One disclaimer....the ending is different. At the end, I felt like I missed some important symbolism, which I am sure I could figure out if I took the time. As far as the ending goes, I have to give it up for the writer and his creativity! I give this movie a B or about 2.75 stars.

Now to Duplicity - First of all I love Clive Owen and I like Julia Roberts. But this movie was not worth the time it took to watch it! I hate to say it, but it was boring, and hard to follow. And Owen's and Robert's chemistry ? Not that great. The end had a twist, but it was LAME. So I give this movie 1.75 stars or a D+ Sorry Clive