Spring is finally here. Although it’s different from the spring I’m used to. May is just around the corner, but not a single plant is blooming, and there are no butterflies or other small creatures in sight. But this is still spring. The slowly melting snowpack that murmurs in the hot midday sun. The retreating ice on the river, which grows darker day by day and already looks sadly heavy, yet still stubbornly holds its ground, supporting walkers and even the bravest snowmobilers on its several centimeters of ice along the banks.

Spring encompasses at once both nothing and everything. The winter was heavy; I think I’m only now realizing it as light and warmth gradually return. The winter brought much that was new: many wonderful experiences, new friends, old friends, activities, trips, joyful and sorrowful events. Nature, music, peace. A lot of good. I was surprised at how deeply I grew attached to the darkness and cold. The polar night and the biting frost felt lovely. Having survived those challenges, I feel a bit stronger and perhaps a degree more like a Laplander. Ha!

The light has now returned entirely. There’s only a brief moment of darkness just after midnight, and soon that, too, will vanish, leaving only the captivating brightness of the sun. In the evenings, before going to bed, I already need to draw the curtains in front of the window. The last time I did that was in August.

It feels like everything in spring is moving quickly. Time, with the light, seems to have lost all meaning, yet it continues to move forward. Summer is already knocking at the door, even though winter has yet to give way. Some days feel overly full of activities, and the nearly round-the-clock light confuses my sense of endurance. It feels like the day lasts forever.

In June, I’ll pack my things and Papu into the van and travel around Finland. I’ll photograph, enjoy nature, and go wherever the wind takes me without any grander plans. However, there are a few twists in the project, as my van has completely broken down and has caused me considerable headaches amid everything else. I’ll write separately about my van project and its progress, but in short, I can say that nothing has gone as planned. That seems to be normal.

Still, I’ve been gradually planning and building my van for the trip. I’ve crafted furniture, contemplated the decor, and acquired essential items like a refrigerator, stove, and inverter. The interior is starting to come together. Now I just need the van itself, as the old one has given out.

Phew.

Spring evenings, the sun's enchanting light, the snow-free mounds, and the warmth that allows one to sit outside for a good while bring great joy amid the spring hustle and bustle. The small moments spent listening to the songs of the early chaffinches on the riverbank in the golden evening sun recharge my energy reserves and create a profound sense of happiness. Happiness lies in these little moments.

Toward the sun ☀️