Dear Daughter,
I’ve had many challenges in my life as you know. I lost grandma six years ago. Due to Visa applications challenges, II was separated from your dad for an entire year after we got married. I've had ongoing challenges in my career where I’ve had to work extra hard as a woman and immigrant, I’m dealing with different health issues etc. There have been many times when I’ve been close to giving up, and wanted to throw in the towel. But I didn’t. Why? Because I truly believe that there is a reason for everything that happens to us.
It can be challenging to see the reason from a bigger perspective in the moment, but one day the reason will unveil itself to you and you will understand why it happened. Every time something unfortunate and unplanned has happened to me, it has later been clear to me why it happened because something good and better came out of the situation. Even from situations that were horrible. This has happened to me so many times now that there is no doubt in my mind that something good will always come out of a bad situation eventually. There is a kind of peace that comes from knowing that good is all that exists at the end.
I was devastated when my Visa got messed up. Dad and I were newlyweds and I had to go back home to Sweden and live with grandma and grandpa for a year. Not what I had pictured my life as a newlywed would be. A year is a long time not knowing when you will be able to go back to your life and husband again. A lot of thoughts and questions go through your mind during this time. Many tears. What if I didn’t get the Visa at all? It didn’t help when friends would ask questions and bring up possible negative scenarios. Often I would find myself giving them a pep-talk. But did I give up? No. I knew in my heart that everything was going to be ok. I don’t know how but my positivity didn’t waiver even once. Maybe because I knew that if I opened up my heart to any negativity I was going to fall into a big black hole. It was not an option. Negativity feeds negativity, and positivity feeds positivity. So I was 100% sure it would work out. My focus was irrevocable. I helped my parents, got a part-time job to keep busy, exercised and took the opportunity to hang out with my family and friends as much as possible, because in my mind I thought that the Visa would appear in my mailbox any day. I was only focusing on good things and good thoughts. Looking back at that time I now see all the positive things that came out of it, and I actually don’t regret that time at all. It was supposed to happen. I got to spend a year with my parents and siblings, which enabled me to go back to the states feeling fulfilled and ready to say goodbye to Sweden and move to the states permanently.
So Elsa, always remember positivity feeds positivity. Every time you focus on the positive you are bringing in more light into your life. However difficult a situation is, something good will come out of it. Always.
P.S. - A big shout out and thank you to Ted Kennedy’s Legislative Aide who worked with immigration to get my Visa all sorted out. We are forever thankful!
