A Symphony of Family: Reconnecting in Helsingborg

When you think what is the thing in your life that is your Northstar, ours would be family. This trip, planned with a new variety of sites included a segment in Sweden, the homeland of the Pearson ( Pers’ son) tribe.

In 1980, while studying abroad in England, during college, David made the connection with his great Aunt Ebba  in Blomstermåla,Sweden and visited at Christmas time. 

His grandfather, Oscar, who lived with him throughout his childhood, had left Sweden as a 17 year old in 1913 and made his way across the sea to the US. He and his little sister  Ebba had not spoken in all those years. On a Christmas morning phone call, they spoke for the first time in a lifetime. Like Oscar, Ebba lived with her daughter and her granddaughter ( Susanne a similar age to David). 

Through the wonders of a Swedish genealogist and snail mail… we reconnected just as we left the states and revised our trip to include a meet up in Helsingborg. Tonight we met up- 45 years later at the opening night of the Helsingborg Symphony, where Susanne’s husband Thomas is a violinist. There is a magic that binds us to family despite the distance in time and space. 

Helsingborg was not originally in our itinerary, however it was a very accessible city where Swedish life is on full display sans tourist gift shops and clichè trinkets. We enjoyed the vista from the Kärnan tower overlooking the harbor with a view of Denmark. 

From a travel perspective,a musical performance in a foreign country transcends any language barrier and is a great way to experience a culture. 

The young conductor, Maxine Pascal, was a joy to watch.  His animated and expressive conducting style at times resembled a dancer, at times a fighter, at times a lover. The Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra is a gem. 

While careful planning is recommended for a smooth trip, embracing an unexpected opportunity and leaning in to the local experience can make all the difference.

In the end, this stop in Helsingborg became an early highlight of our journey—not because it was on the itinerary, but because it wasn’t. Family ties, a shared concert, and the chance to rediscover roots reminded us why we travel in the first place: to connect, to learn, and to be surprised by joy.