I visited the Natural History Museum of Kuopio multiple times, drawn by the magnificent mammoth on display. On my last visit, I found myself contemplating the desire to create something grand of my own. After all, dreams are meant to be realized...
This fall, I received an order from the Old Parsonage in Kuopio to craft a donkey, lamb, and dove. Can you guess how delighted I was? I am profoundly grateful to all those involved in this project for their faith in me and the opportunity they gave me.
The nativity scene can be viewed from the glass porch of the parsonage until Epiphany. It can be admired from outside at any time, and you can even step inside to take a closer look whenever the doors are open. Outside, you can adjust the brilliance of the starry sky yourself.
Design and main implementation: Tiina Tiikkainen, a design student at Savonia University of Applied Sciences.
Human figures' finishing: Students of the hair and beauty care department at Savo Vocational College, under the guidance of Sari Jokinen and Sini Taskinen.
Animal design by felt artist Elena Bondar.
Star light design and installation: Markku's Electrical Installation.
Supported by the Property Management of the Kuopio Evangelical Lutheran Parishes.
For a dream to come true, it must first be dreamt!
Do you wish for your dreams to come true? There's no need to abandon your desires just yet. It becomes easier once you embrace your inner child and give them permission to dream. Don't hastily declare your desire impossible to achieve. Be the adult that supports your inner child, never underestimate your wishes. Everything is possible in this world! If you don't yet have what you desire, you simply aren't ready for it yet. Contemplate the qualities you might be lacking to fulfill your wishes.
Next, there's no need to fear that your dream will come true. Sounds strange, doesn't it? Yet, fear often hinders many from achieving their dreams. We understand that to obtain what we do not have, we must undertake new actions. The unknown can be intimidating. Immediately, we encounter self-doubt and the fear of mistakes.
What if I told you that mistakes don't exist? Everything, even the most unpleasant, is a part of our experience. Our experiences are our true wealth.
"Making dreams come true requires courage. The bigger the goal, the more courage you need to reach it. Not everyone might appreciate your success. This is part of growing. Envy from others is the price of success. You must learn to handle this.
The last thing that stands in the way of realizing your dream is the excessive importance of the result. When we make the dream the only thing that brings us happiness, we stifle our creativity. When a weighty burden presses down on us, we lose a great deal of energy. We make our lives very difficult, and sometimes unbearable.
So, how do you defeat this overwhelming significance?
Simply!
Invent an alternative. Make a plan for what you will do if your dream does not come true? When you have another option for the course of events, you understand that nothing terrible will happen if your dream does not come true. This way, you make your life easier and free up space for the best course of events.
Dreams must come true, even if no one else believes in them. The main thing is that you want it. This is enough to change your reality.
I don't want to teach you life. Those willing can watch how I walk my life path and see in my example, how the impossible can be made possible.
The Dove of Peace
The dove, as pure and white as fresh snow, is a vision of enchantment. It's no wonder that throughout the ages, it has captivated the hearts of humans, evolving into a symbol of peace, freedom, love, innocence, and purity. This stunning creature, a soft whisper in the grand chorus of nature, reflects the gentlest and most profound aspects of our existence, reminding us of the harmonious beauty embedded in our world.
Have you ever paused to consider what freedom truly means to you? Or perhaps pondered what it feels like to be as free as a bird in the sky? Have you ever given thought to how small a bird is in the vast expanse of the world? Yet, that little bird, despite its fear of the grand and unknown, flies high into the sky. If a tiny creature can achieve such a feat, you, too, possess the ability to do so.
The bird serves as a poignant reminder that joy and contentment lie in the small, seemingly trivial aspects of life.
Did you know that YOU have the power to bestow happiness upon someone else?
Whether it's through a kind word, a warm smile, or a simple act of kindness, you hold within you the capacity to sprinkle a bit of joy into someone's day. Remember, we all have the power to make a difference, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. After all, even the smallest stone can create ripples in the largest of ponds.