Goodness gracious, where has the year disappeared to!
October was a whirlwind of activity as I celebrated another turn around the sun. Yeah, ageing is real! Still, it carries its own beauty, as I’m coming to see the woman I was always meant to become. Reinvention rebel, anyone?
And among autumn’s many offerings are cultural delights: music, visual arts, literature and more. The Helsinki Book Fair, which I have yet to find a moment to reflect on, was lit as ever!
And just like that, November is upon us.
A month often associated with darkness and melancholy, November finds me in surprisingly good spirits this year. Perhaps I’m learning to embrace its quieter rhythms rather than dread its long nights.
Besides, the month brings a special gift: an invitation to the Afro-Nordic Literary Festival, part of Southnord Artfest 2026, where I’ll be in conversation about my very first poetry collection, Seasons Defined. I’m still amazed and grateful that this little collection continues to find its way into readers’ hearts.
As Finland observed All Saints’ Day yesterday, I found myself reflecting on stillness, remembrance and the passing of seasons. And while November has a few more literary engagements in store, I’m looking forward to the quiet that follows. The kind of quiet in which new stories begin to stir.
So I’ll leave you with a little poem, At the Crack of Dawn, from Seasons Defined. Perhaps an invitation to embrace the silence.
At the Crack of Dawn
Nocturnal chorus ends
Everything quiet except
a leaf crunching
a lone bird chirping
I embrace silence.
© Khaya Ronkainen
As always, I’d love to hear from you. What is this season inviting you to embrace?
p.s. Courtesy of my husband, the feature image captures one of the city’s graveyards.
