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Today's Featured Biography
Greta Stromberg
YEARBOOK CAPTION
"Gret" says "gawrsh, gee whiz." She dislikes having to wait for people. Her future plans include school and to be happy. Tri-Y, G. O., 8 O'clock Club, Intramurals.
"There's nothing half so sweet as love's young dream."
Greetings To My Fellow PHS Classmates of 1951
Some of you I had the joy to spend time with at our prior reunions; dating back to 1980 - seems forever ago, yet only yesterday.
To bring you up to date - I have had some truly magnificent adventures and now find myself living in Middletown, CT. I arrived in August of 1997 from CO, where I had worked, studied, lived, loved, and laughed for 15 years. Prior to CO I taught elementary art at the Mohegan Lake School district while living in Yorktown Heights with my former husband, David Westfall, and our three children: Torin, Kirt, and Lisa. I was divorced in '77 and have not remarried, though there have been some interesting relationships.
In 1982 I "ran away from home" with a prospective beau (his name was Bo) to Colorado. There I worked on a second graduate degree in Transpersonal Psychology and Counseling. I became a psychotherapist with a private practice, while doing other counseling work in hospitals, private agencies, and with the Boulder County Health Dept. When I left it was in the guise of retirement. This is but a label I hope not to apply to myself. I believe there is work yet for me to do - something, sometime.
So - I am a lady of leisure of sorts. I admit I enjoy and appreciate this time to reflect and BE. I continue studies through reading and practices in wellness and spirituality. I am obsessed with "going green" and intend to do all I can from my little corner of this great globe to help heal the planet.
And - finally the artist within has emerged, discounted till this time of opportunity. It has erupted with some brilliance and much mediocrity, albeit, a dominant force in my life. I give it energy and respect. The gift I can share with anyone caught in its web.
In Colorado, the Rockies majestic presence drew me in. I answered the call of my Nordic blood and became a fairly good skier. There's nothing like the snow in the Rockies. The climate was suited to other activities to keep my body moving also: biking, hiking, swimming tennis... Now these interests are but memories as the body heeds little of what the spirit would endure. I swim, a healthy way to keep moving, but the bike hangs from the rafters of my son's garage, along with the skis. Oh, I do miss Colorado. It is God's country: the lure of those great mountains, the openness of the big sky - it's freedom. I found my personal freedom there. I found myself there. And that's a really long story . . .
While in Colorado I pursued my love of horses, having had several in N Y state before I moved west. I used to say that someday I would go west and marry a cowboy.
The cowboy didn't show up so I adopted a wild mustang colt from the Bureau of Land Management. Bringing up Rio was a new kind of relationship to cultivate. A challenge I had no idea would bring such fulfillment. We slowly and daringly/caringly became friends. I knew little about horse training however, and eventually had to give him to those who did. I can not measure this life-learning experience against the many lessons in the classroom. It was certainly one of life's greatest ones. It taught me about fear, trust, endurance, commitment and love.
And - it is good to be in the East again, renewing my relationships to family, friends, and this environment. It too has its majesty and beauty. I simply love the earth and am committed to doing all I can to foster Her health as well as my own. All my children have chosen to be New Englanders. My oldest, Torin, "Tor," and her husband, Brian, are designers living in Deerfield, NH. They have two children: Naomi, a college grad working
as an outdoor journalist in Alaska. Nathan - ah Nate, the soon to be black belt in Karate, teaching it, working it, diligent and trustworthy beyond the call. Nate is taking time still at home, needed/wanted there,
while taking a class in philosophy. I have a feeling about this guy - - -.
They, the Judds, live on 47 pristine acres, fulfilling the dream I so long harbored - to own a horse farm. They now have five - three Fresians; the most magnificent, big, black animals (picture Zorro's horse with flowing mane and tail, a gait that rises and falls with its striking rhythm). Include two Morgan mares. Beauties. (Notice the current picture I have posted with Charisma, Tor's first and favorite mare). Tor is a gifted artist. Graduate of RISD, RI. I hope, when she is retired, she too will take time to express this talent.
Son Kirt and his wife "Reese" are partners in their legal firm in New Haven. They are outstandingly creative in their unique ways in music, painting, cooking, gardening, - - - They have no children, though they parent/coach the players on the local High School football and track teams. I call Reese "Earth Mother" as she nurtures all things of nature that grow or move. Kirt shows a remarkable ability to guide and nurture his young guys and gals and shows excellent coaching abilities. His powerful Nordic physique along with his golden blond hair, (usually sporting a pony tail), make an unforgettable impression, whether on the athletic field or in the courtroom.
Beautiful Lisa, "Lili," has given me a gorgeous granddaughter, Kayla, now a junior in college in RI. Lili and her fiance, Tom, have their home in N. Branford. Lis, like her Dad, is forever involved in community theater. She has performed in many local shows and done a few small movie bits. I have missed very few of her performances, and am ever proud of her talents. She too has artistic abilities in painting, drawing, and making jewelry. If you were to meet Lili you would not soon forget her vibrant personality and spirited enthusiasm.
They are all quite special - precious. Though I have to add, we don't always speak the same language, listen to the same music, or laugh at the same jokes. Sound familiar?
Sister, Bunny Morgan (in Nashville), is married to her Joe. Known as the Four Stromberg Girls for so many years, we sadly are now three. We lost Pat (Lerchenfeld), in April, 2008. It isn't easy for those left behind, as many of us now are experiencing. Aging brings this lesson of loss, letting go. If we are alert and open, we recognize it as the most important lesson we have to learn. Bun, Gret, and Karin also suffer the ailments of aging, more to cope with than the natural process entails. Yet the Stromberg spirit of endurance and strength (stubbornness) persists in the three of us. We had a three sister reunion last summer. We go on, one day at a time, love in our hearts and hope for a brighter and happier future for this ailing and troubled planet.
So here I am... And there you are. Please be in touch. I may not be able to make the next reunion and will miss you all. My voice has deteriorated. It is difficult to carry on any lengthy conversation today. What fun is that? I still would dearly love the hugs. They make up for everything else.
Blessings and best wishes to all.
Namaste
Love,
Gret O, O, O, - (((hugs)))
Posted 11/08
Update to 3/2015
A lot can happen in 7 years; more like 7 months it, right?
I am living in an elderly complex of other aging men and women, (mostly women of course, the men either married still/again or sadly, gone). passing the days with my Bella cat (who ever dreamed such a cat could exist? She is amazingly human). I still do some artwork, though this tremor, happily not Parkinson's, limits a lot of my movements now. Reading is a must as is keeping up with things here on my computer. It's so much easier to type than to speak now.
I long for word from my classmates - how are you all, where are you? I'm hoping to get some info here from the class updates others post. I like this idea and am willing to support it as best I can.
We have all aged and some moved on. Children and grands now living lives we of which we never dreamed. I'm quite adverse to this age with its over the top focus on the latest gadgets. One can only imagine where it will lead their minds, bodies, and hearts in a few generations time. I'm rather glad I won't be here to witness it. You?
I'm not going to ramble as I usually do as this is not a column for the ages but simply for you out there who I have misplaced in my library of old friends and acquaintances. Time is all we have left, and little of it. Lets use it to reconnect if possible and find out what our pasts have reaped or ripped from our grasp. what's your story ????
Feb 10, 2016
Did I really write only a year ago. Funny, I don't remember, but then there's lots I don't remember these days.
Some has changed. My tremor increases so that when cooking I tend to spread food all over the stove instead of in the pan. I'm thankful I am able to laugh about this. After all, what's to cry about? It only takes time to clean things up and I have plenty of thatI love to fix myself one pan meals though and it enlivens my imagination to come up with new things.
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