The sun paints everything around me in a bright orange color. Let me take you to the beauty of Finnish Lapland today. It’s nature at its finest. Her seasons are full of contrasts but one thing always dominates – the beauty of nature and an incredible zest for life.

Finnish Lapland in orange

Today the sun is painting leaves and trees. With soft brush strokes she sweeps spots of red, yellow, green and orange on her canvas of Finnish Lapland. Pine trees rise up like bodyguards of the earth. They take in the heat, crying out for some orange painting. They feed on her warmth until that white blanket of recognition covers Lapland. Winter.

You may wonder, doesn’t it always freeze in Lapland? Is there more than white trees, shuffling feet through thick snow and crackling ice on the lakes? While I look out over a rippling river I want to scream “Yes!”. Yes, there is more than snow in Lapland. At this point I don’t know Lapland any different, and it makes me hungry for more. I’m curious for a white Lapland as well, with all its snow flakes, but right now I see pure nature and what it truly means to Lappish people. Lapland revolves around flora and fauna and all that nature has to offer. It is amazing to see.

How nature lives in harmony

I am overwhelmed by a deep respect for nature and touched by the way Lappish people deal with her, face her strength. Nature does not punish, but she does work with consequences. Give and take. Here, people live with a deeply rooted respect for her. And most of all I feel the willpower to start living as pure as they do. In Lapland, people take 70% of their needs directly from nature. The water, the land, the forests and the animals are companions. It’s amazing how all creatures (unfortunately, except some humans in the world) can live in harmony, depending on each other and nature. Living here must be healing. The people here look years younger than they actually are. Healthy, glowing and cheerful. These days I’ll just join them.

I see thousands of fish dancing in the river. I wonder about the colors of the trees when I look up. I feel the reindeer before I even see him. I watch the reflection of the clouds in the water, and follow them floating away. Tranquility embraces me. I stare in the eyes of a husky with his bright blue eyes. I collect my own berries right from nature. I listen to nature. I feel like Ronja Rövardotter, I feel smaller than a blade of grass, brighter than the sun, higher than to where the pine trees reach. I feel Sami. I can feel myself. One with nature.

Have you ever been to Lapland?