Time to pause and attend

In just a couple of days, this Saturday, Finland will close down for Juhannus (Midsummer): the towns will be practically empty, and here in Oulu, even bus transportation will stop for a day. After almost five years, I’ve come to appreciate how the two main Finnish holidays, Joulu (Christmas) and Juhannus, reflect the yearly rhythms so well, highlighting the darkest and the lightest days of the year. Both of these focal points of the planetary cycle are met with quietness and apprehension.

The importance of taking breaks is deeply valued here. In my first year in Finland, I co-taught a course where half the students missed class on a fine April morning. “Well, this is understandable,” my colleague, another co-instructor, reflected calmly. “This is the first truly warm and sunny day this year!” After a year of teaching in a very productivity-oriented environment, I was very surprised back then. But indeed, if warmth and sun are rare guests here in the North, why not soak them in to the last bit — to be well equipped for the darkness of December.

So I’m taking a break as well. And maybe being attentive to birch leaves and lake waves is the actual way to new research ideas. We will see. Hyvää Juhannusta!