As it has been every week for the past 2 months I think, multiple big things happened all week long. From the summer solstice to shifting into the height of the season of the wild woman under June’s full moon to my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary to the idyllic Swedish midsummer celebrations, this week was packed with energy + activity. Oh, and I can’t forget all of the moving stuff going on as well, of course. And speaking of that, we move in FOUR days. What?!?!
But, the week started off with a bang. Literally. I woke about 3am, when the sun usually rises these days, to a flash of light. And I thought, “Could it be?! A summer storm?! Was that lightening?!” I waited a bit and then the low rumbles came. Soon after followed another flash and more rumbles. This almost never happens in Sweden… at least not the years I’ve lived here. It seemed to be an actual thunderstorm! On the summer solstice! So, I got up, grabbed my phone, and went from window to window taking photos and videos and just soaking it all in. Oh, how I miss those North Carolina summer storms. But, this was exactly that and it was amazing!
Also amazing was the fact that this was the summer solstice. At 3am on this day/night, I usually wake early (here in Sweden) and go outside to watch the sunrise + celebrate the height of light + warmth + the sun’s power. But, there was this storm this year. Bringing in a whole different kind of vibe. Still, though, I felt the energy of heat, light, and power. Instead of just the regular sunny solstice sunrise, with this summer storm I felt passion, fiery, wild, alive energy not only pulsing through the air, but also coursing through my own veins. The storm continued for an hour and as I finally began to subside, I felt the energy of life teeming through everything. It’s as if the electricity from the storm was still swirling all around + in + through everything.
So, this solstice was absolutely something different, but it was just as powerful – if not more – and left me feeling a sense of wild aliveness + a deep connection to nature as I move into summer’s calling to get grounded, centered, and balanced by returning to the core of who I am: a wild, powerful, wise woman of the earth who’s aligned with the divine energy that flows through everything.
June’s full moon also helped to usher in the slow, wild, fiery mood of the summer months. The past few weeks (months? year?) have been wild in their own way… in a chaotic way. But the wild energy that is emerging now is a much more grounded one. I think that under this full moon, I felt the bright, cool, large full moon balancing out the fiery, passionate heat of the sun. To me, the energy felt like the yin yang symbol to me, where both light + dark, heat + cool, passion + peace, cosmos + earth, sun + moon, wild + anchored live in balanced harmony. And, I wonder, isn’t that actually the magical, mysterious, divine unity of it all?
Now, about this whole moving thing. There are just a few days left, as I mentioned above = shit’s gettin’ real. We’ve done so much, but there is more to do. I have definitely got to step up my packing game today! Life for real. It’s just to turn on some Friends episodes and fill boxes. So, that’s my goal today.
The apartment is already looking super different. Of course, it’s not been “normal” for a long time. But, now it’s even more obvious. Boxes really everywhere now. Our tv is on the floor because the furniture we had it on was sold yesterday. Yay! At the same time we’re packing up stuff, we’ve also made a few purchases for the new apartment. We got two new rugs and a lamp. And celebrated with drinks!
In any case, there’s still tons to do. But, it’ll all work out. Just gotta squeeze in some goodbyes as well. It’ll be fine, right? Yeah. It’ll be fine. I realized this morning that I/we haven’t ever moved an entire home before. We’ve always moved from country to country with as little as possible. Now, we’re only moving 2.5 hours away + taking everything with us. Holy crap. I have got to get my head in the game.
Beer. Friends episodes. Boxes. That’s my vibe today.
Of course, in the middle of all of this, why not host a Midsummer celebration, right?! We did just that this week and it was so worth it. Three of my (former!) colleagues from work came to celebrate the super cozy Swedish midsummer holiday with us. We planned a potluck, so we shared responsibility for food and gathered at our place on a super rainy Midsummer afternoon.
We had tons of delicious food, lots of drinks (BYOB), and sat in the living room with the windows flung wide open + used plastic moving boxes as tables. We sang traditional Swedish drinking songs + took shots with the best tasting snaps I’ve ever had. And we just sat and talked and laughed all afternoon. As evening approached, the rain stopped + it dried up a bit, so we went outside for a little lawn game, more drinks, and conversations + laughter. The long, bright, humid Swedish midsummer night was the perfect setting for us late into the night.
Finally, I’ve come to the last big event of this week: my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary! Of course, I’m stuck here in Sweden and couldn’t be with them to celebrate in person. But, we all did the best we could. My brother + I tag teamed some stuff. He took care of them all day yesterday (their anniversary day) and I reached out to family + friends over the past 2 weeks to create a surprise video greeting for my parents.
Yesterday I was unable to focus on anything except for my parents. I spent the day glued to my phone, receiving photos that my brother sent me as they moved through their day, texting family members, and putting the finishing touches on the video of greeting to send to my parents. I also spent the day sobbing quite a bit, losing it because of missing being there + just missing my family in general.
But, everything turned out beautifully! My brother + his girlfriend. did an excellent job being hosts for the day, taking our parents to lunch and on adventures in the car up in the mountains. Our family (and some friends of my parents) came through + sent me the most perfect little videos that I used to create one long video. And digital technology made it possible for me + Lina to feel like we were there as mush as possible. All in all, it was as good of a day as I could have thought – without being able to actually be there.
But, more than anything, I am simply grateful + inspired. By my family, and mostly yesterday, by my parents. 50 years! What a celebration!
So, that’s this wild + crazy week. Another one in the books. Looking back over the week, I realize just how much happened. And how much the summer solstice really did shift me into a whole new cycle of energy.
Now, it’s time to get to work + look forward. With a few pauses this week to soak up, give thanks, and say goodbye. Next time I write to you, I’ll be in our new home! That is freaking crazy. But, it so jives with this new solstice energy.
If you want to see stuff in real(ish) time, follow me on Instagram (@belovelive.com_). I’ll be posting + documenting there every day – mostly in my stories. Ok, y’all. It’s time to end this blog post. My last one on a Sunday morning in bed in this cozy, funky apartment in Uppsala. Wow.
Love to you guys. Wishing you a great week. (Wish us luck + send us positive vibes, if you want. Eeeeek!)
xoxo. liz.
