Never Stop Doing What You Love

Four months ago my husband urged me to keep doing what I love. Writing. He knew I was out of my element when I moved to Sweden and out of the groove. He suggested to start a blog. To keep me inspired, to keep my skills sharp, my mind alert, and my passion burning. It’s hard to get back into my old rhythm, but I know that I miss it and I need it.  This is to inspire myself and others – a reminder. Moving abroad turns your life upside down and inside out, it takes time to find yourself again, but never stop trying. Take the time and do it. Take your new life and use it as ammo, fuel, momentum.

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Life changes. Things get harder just because they are different. It doesn’t take much.
You’re not where you thought you would be. Time flies. People change.
Adjust.
Make the best of it. Find balance. Never Stop Doing What You Love.
Don’t say you’ll do it later. Or that you have more important things to do now.
Even if life is perfect and all the pieces aligned, don’t neglect your passions.
Sometimes we forget we have them.
Sometimes we adapt new ones and forget the ones we had.
Remember the way they made you feel.
To write. To read. To knit. To play an instrument. To throw a ball. To dance. To sing. To draw.
These things built you. Made you who you are today, wherever that might be now.
Sometimes we feel empty and can’t figure out why.
Life can be great. You love who you are with, where you are, and what you do.
Though something isn’t right.
It’s those passions you forgot about, pushed away and neglected. Priority elsewhere.
Bored, fading, and tired of waiting, they reach out to you and beg. Tugging on your sleeve.
Pick them up. Dust them off. And start again.
Don’t think it. Or say it. Or promise it. Or plan it.
Write. Read. Knit. Play. Dance. Sing. Draw.
Now. You haven’t forgotten how.
Only how they made you feel.
Complete. Calm. Skilled. Proud.

Tack Så Mycket! : “Thank you so much!”

A few weeks ago I entered a give away contest on the LostinStockholm blog, celebrating her 5,000th comment- Grattis! The grand prize was generously donated by a local Swedish shop  Happy Hedgehog, which has a wide selection of unique products from both England and Sweden! With a lovely arrangement of items as incentive the give away was a great success and people had their eyes on the prize! Third place prize was a set of cards donated from FikaTown which has a cute collection – more winners the merrier! The contest was to write something about Hedgehogs and Sweden – it could be a story, a poem, a haiku, anything of any length that has “Swedishness” and “Cuteness.”

Those who do not know me might not know this but I have a thing for Hedgehogs. And Poetry. And free stuff- especially house items and soaps and candles. So naturally my ears perked up and I jotted down a poem immediately! First contestant!

A contest containing cuteness you say?
Celebrating hedgehogs, there’s no better way!
Years ago the difference between porcupine and hedgehog I learned.
Ever since then, for a hedgehog I’ve yearned!
I love how in water they swim or do an upside-down float,
showing off their pink bellies, as if to gloat!
Their curiosity is as high as a cats,
never resisting getting stuck in this or that.
Always wanting one for a pet,
I knew I wanted two instead!
But alas the timing could have been better,
as I was moving away the very next Winter.
And so I had to put off getting this adorable creature,
not knowing that hedgehogs are one of Sweden’s cutest features!
To my gleeful surprise while walking down a cobblestone road,
I spotted a hedgehog trotting along.
I carefully followed with camera in hand,
never seeing one in person, Sweden must be a magical land.
He hid in the grass along the riverbed,
I resisted my urge to pet him and took a photo instead.
Every so often I’d see them out and about,
resisting my urge to giggle and shout.
When my family came to Sweden this Summer,
they spotted a “rodent,” took a photo and murmured.
I confirmed it was not a rat or a mouse,
but a cute little hedgehog you can have in a house!

As the days went by more people participated, so I crossed my fingers and waited. Then there was news: There was a tie between my poem and one other so the polls went to Facebook for a vote which was almost tied for the duration as well.

And so I am a “special Runner up” – I’ll take it!! It was fun to write and enjoyable to read all the other entries about Hedgehogs! I am excited to see what my Special runner up prize will be! I will keep you posted when it arrives!

Huge thank you to LostinStockholm and Happy Hedgehog for hosting this contest! Great things happen when an awesome blog and an amazing store come together- everyone should check them out!!