Selbu day 2

Friday, July 25

Barb and I awoke early in this morning in Selbu, anticipating major “goodbyes”.  Ben, Penny, Nathan and Cailyn met us early, ready to partake of the extensive Scandinavian breakfast, and ready to break away from their parents to explore Norway on their own.  As family, we have stated many tearful goodbyes over the many years, but this one was unique.  As they readied to board their car, I hugged each, tears were in my eyes as I told each how I loved them and I thanked them for honoring me and Barb by partaking in this pilgrimage.  I prayed that their journey, so far, was meaningful, and that they each had gained some perspective of who they are, and had gained perspective from where they have come.  The overwhelming emotion present at the moment of each hug for me was the abundant blessing that God has given me, that each had experienced this special place of ancestry and heritage.  I wished them God Speed as they continue to explore their ancestors’ country on their own, as Barb and I did in 1973.  They boarded their car to the airport, and then they were off to the Lofoten Islands.

After the goodbyes, we met Kari and Eric, whose plans had changed.  They had entered Norway via train with Euro rail passes, and on viewing the website to view rail tickets; the morning trains out of Trondheim were full.  They had a rental car and a hotel in Trondheim, so they drove back to Trondheim, not sure they would get out in the p.m. or stay overnight.  Tearful goodbyes again, with the same sentiment.

Torgeir, Heidi, Barb and I checked out and, again riding with the Vollsets, drove to the Selbu Kirche.  Oh, how I wish the youngins had seen it.  Unlike the Trondheim cathedral, the church is made of wood and stands of about 800 years of building and maintenance.  Thus, I deduct, it was built as a Catholic church, then converted to Lutheran.  I sat in the pews again, as I had done at the Zoar Lutheran Church, the church in MN that my family had emigrated to in 1903.   I sat there at the Zoar church, documented by this blog in 2007, and I thanked God and my ancestors for the legacy of work, service, and faith that had been instilled in my DNA.   Again it happened in the Selbu Kirche.  Such a meaningful  time, such rich memories came back to me, ancestors thanking me for respecting their efforts and their being. A meaningful time, there in that pew.  Few may understand.

Torgeir drove us the some 30 miles back to Trondheim.  On the way he received a text that Kari and Eric are back at the hotel, staying overnight to catch the early morning train tomorrow.  Torgeir, the gallant Viking that he is, wants to pick up Kari and Eric and take them out to dinner.  We meet them at their hotel.  Torgeir drives Barb, Kari, Eric to the Tyhold tower, Heidi and I take a taxi, and we enjoy a meal at the top of Trondheim, the revolving restaurant that gives us a 360 degree of the city.

View toward Volsett home.  Oh so much fun.

After dinner, some of the group walks to the nearby Vollset home, while Torgeir drives me.  We sit in the sun into the late night.  Finally, it is the goodbye for Kari and Eric.  Torgeir drives them down to their hotel.