Finnish winters have a kind of magic, but it’s a quiet one — not glittering, not showy. Some people romanticize the snow, but they often forget the cold, the darkness, the long stretch of it all. For a girl born under the African sun, among people who speak in warmth and laughter, winter here can feel like someone dimmed the world. These months usually ask us, at least me, to find the glow from within rather than chasing brightness outside.
So, as the light fades, dust loses its gold, and the days speak more softly, the landscape feels less busy and more honest. This is the season that encourages us to conserve warmth, attention, and effort— not to produce but to attune.
Despite the celebratory rush of the season, I’m slowing down. I’m trying to listen, to release the urge to tally outcomes, and to be present within the quiet moments and the changing rhythm of the year.
The poem below emerged from that quiet noticing. It’s a reminder that rest is not the absence of effort, but its companion. And for me, gratitude doesn’t always look like celebration. Sometimes it looks like stepping back, lowering the shoulders, and letting the body claim what it needs.
I Open My Eyes and Give Thanks
Thanksgiving —
a perpetual state of being
big and small offerings
no matter the season
for every morning
I open my eyes
and give thanks
Days fall off the calendar
it’s not about quantity
the grind but pledging
have I done enough
for each day
I search for beauty
and give thanks
Years start and end
with promise and hope
no matter the demands
every body needs rest
even the one
clothed in brown
learning to claim
As I pause my writing here for the rest of the year, I offer this piece as both a reflection and a permission slip for myself, and maybe for anyone else who needs it. And now, I turn inward to rest, trusting words will return with energy.
Thank you — truly — to everyone who continues to read and support my writing; your presence adds warmth to this space. I look forward to returning in the new year.
Wishing you and your loved ones a peaceful and joyous holiday season! ♥
