It has always been my dream to live in Finland, somewhere where the forest meets the sea. It took many years of toiling in the scorching desert, lots of blood, sweat, tears and huge sacrifices to achieve that dream.
So instead of a book related post, I will share some photos I took the last weekend and the weekend before. These places are a few minutes of walk from where I’m living now. I am sending lots of positive energy to those of you who are working on achieving your dreams and living where you really want to live. Well, it’s not always a walk in the park and it comes with a cost, but I have gladly left the high standard of living and the high wages and came here. Choosing between the consumerist suburban lifestyle and living walking distance from the below scenery was not difficult. Holding on to the material possessions and the comfort zone didn’t make me happy, it made me incredibly miserable. I had all the toys and money, I could eat out everyday and go shopping for hours but I couldn’t write. Now I can’t afford to do any of those but I have already written 65k words into my first book -the story I wanted to write for years.
Leaving the comfort zone has been the most rewarding thing ever. Comfort zone was a dungeon with pretty walls and full of shiny goodies, but a dungeon nonetheless. I’m better off living close to the amazing Scandinavian nature than having everything in the inland desert and being trapped in the dungeon they call consumerism. Creating (writing) is what makes me truly happy (even if a handful of people read it), not buying things.
The book that has inspired me and gave me the strength to break away the chains and find my purpose in life (writing!) was a book called Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, brilliant author and Holocaust survivor. Here is the link if you are curious: http://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/080701429X/
I said this wasn’t going to be a bookish post but I guess it’s not quite possible for me not to end up writing something bookish 🙂
Well, here go the photos (click to see them full size):
Leona's Blog of Shadows 
Beautiful. I think you made the right choice. 🙂
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Beautiful!
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Leona, I set the beginning of the third novel in my Perceval series in Finland so I did a lot of research, including looking at tons of photos and interviewing Osmo Vanska, Music Director of the MN Orchestra. I’ve also been in Helsinki — a 24 hour layover on the way to Moscow in 1987 — and I have very fond personal memories. I live in Minnesota, and Vanska has said that he loves it here because it is so much like Finland. I hope your writing continues and you continue to be content there in Finland! Cinda
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Great photos! I’d love to learn what initially drew you to Finland in a follow-up post some time.
Congratulations on living the dream.
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How gorgeous!
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Beautiful photos, Leona, thank you for sharing! I’m so glad that you’ve found the key to genuine happiness and have thrown that ugly thing called Consumerism into the gutter where it belongs. And by the way, sixty-five thousand words is nothing to be ashamed of (not that you are, I’m sure you’re very proud..) Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, “Congratulations!! You’re off to a fantastic start. Keep up the awesome work!” I cannot wait to read your book. I also doubt your readership will only be a select few.
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I’m vicariously living in Finland through you 🙂 I still think we need to do stories on the fairies/mushroom people we talked about so long ago. You know, when I actually get some time. (Which is like never!)
At any rate, good for you, my friend. It’s scary putting yourself out there, but so worth it. I love you more every time you post!
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I keep remembering this whenever I see mushrooms growing on deadfalss during those nature hiking trips! But I figured the baby will not leave any time for that for now, we totally need to do that!
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Your comments always brighten up my day, Katie!!:) And while I obviously have no idea what the two of you discussed, I think it would be an incredible collaboration!!
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Her comments brighten up my day too!
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I’m so glad!:)
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Your pictures of Finland are awesome. I always enjoy looking them.
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Thanks to your suggestion, I read Frankl’s book and found many things that were helpful to me at this time in my life. I am very happy for you. I wish you the best, my dear.
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