By Invitation Only: Cycles..

Hi darlings! Today I am popping in to participate in the 'By Invitation Only' postings, and to celebrate that this diverse and talented group of global bloggers celebrate it's 1 year anniversary!
Every month we are given a theme upon which we base our posts, and this month it's 'Cycles'.

My regular readers will know that I have spent the large part of my life living in several countries around the world. An adventurous, driven, and curious soul, this nomadic life suited me to a tee. I studied, worked and lived in six amazing (and very diverse!) countries. 

Life was marvelous yet as the years ticked by I found myself missing a very fundamental aspect of Swedish life, namely the closeness to nature and the cycles of the seasons. 
I was fortunate enough to be able to pop hoe to Sweden several times a year but somehow my visits never seemed long enough (despite spanning up to 8 weeks at times!). Increasingly I found myself wanting to be part of 'what was about to happen next' in terms of the seasonal changes. I wanted to see Summer mature into Autumn, and to smell the garden as the apples ripened on the trees. I missed not being able to hear the icicles 'drip - drip - drip' away in the early Spring. I wanted to be part of the transition, and so longed to be able to live it to the full.

I came to understand & respect the importance of the pace that nature brings, and how this is deeply instilled in us Northeners. Perhaps it was the twelve years I lived under the Australian sun that made me realize that 'you can take a girl out of Sweden but never take Sweden out of a girl'. I started to crave the unpredictability and vast diversity of the Swedish weather cycles.

The very distinct seasons here in the Far North bring with them a tangible transformation of the way we go about life. Everything changes; from the food we eat, the way we dress, how we socialize, the decor of our homes, our daily routines, and even our working habits. Each season has a distinct flavour and meditative state which is closely interlaced with the cycles and expressions of nature.

The endless light during the months of Summer is cherished and celebrated, as is the richness of what nature provides in Autumn. 
The quiet meditative state of our Scandinavian Winters brings with it a sense of inner peace and hibernation, which in turn is broken by the surge of energy released as the sun slowly melts the snow away in Spring.

It took me nearly three decades to realize that it was these seasonal cycles of nature that I missed so much. And so, I returned home after my 24 year orbit.

xx Charlotta