My Dreamcatcher

At the end of 2006 I attended by cousin Sari's wedding in Lumijoki, the town where my family's roots are in the north of Finland. It was a really lovely celebration. At the end of the party, instead of throwing her bridal bouquet of flowers, Sari threw a "lovecatcher" to all the single women in order to help one of them find love.

My daughter Saskia caught it, and being only 12 at the time, she gave it to me. By this time I had been single for several years, but within just three months of receiving my lovecatcher, I met Fréderic, whom I married the next year. Despite the fact we are no longer together, it was a great love story while it lasted.

I passed on the lovecatcher to someone else following my own wedding in 2008, and as far as I am aware, they also met someone soon afterwards.

Now that I am single again Sari has half promised to send me a new lovecatcher... and I hope she does! I am looking forward to receiving it.

In the meantime however, I attended the auction in Pitkäjärvi today, and found a dreamcatcher there which I picked up for just a few euros. Dreamcatchers are traditionally used by American Indians. They are made out of a circle of willow and decorated with feathers and other important objects and their idea is to exclude nightmares and allow only good dreams to filter through to the person sleeping in the room. Many people also  use them to help their own dreams come true.

I could not resist taking the dreamcatcher home with me, and it is now hanging over my desk where I hope it will also serve to bring me inspiration to continue writing again.

Fingers crossed my lovecatcher will also arrive soon. If it works as well as last time then I may have some very interesting stories to tell before too long. Watch this space!