Sisu and the Greatest Finn That I know
Sisu. It's a word that doesn't have an actual equivalent in English. It stands alone. Gracie and I text this word back and forth from time to time. Of my three children, she embraces her Finnish heritage the most.
Sisu. It has a lot of meanings. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery are just a few words that embody the concept that is Sisu. There is a saying in Finland that says it best "It doesn't take sisu to go to the North Pole; it takes sisu to stand at the door when the bear is on the other side."
The Kristoff Maduro is not from Finland. It is from The Domincan Republic. It is dark and robust. The Miller Brewing Company is in Wisconsin. It is a fine pilsner. The Wheaton Terriers that are on the porch with me right now are from Missouri. The pee pads are from Wal Mart. The dog turds are from the Wheatons. It doesn't take sisu to enjoy the cigar and the Miller on the pee pad covered porch amongst the dog droppings and foul stench. That takes insanity.
Sisu is Finland. Finland is Sisu. My paternal grandmother's family came to the United States from Finland. Koskela is the Finnish family name. Sisu.
I need sisu now. I'm calling on my Finnish heritage to get me through this next few months. It will take sisu to get through the rest of 2018. Gracie's Finland flag is in the storage unit. I need to go get it and display in this apartment to remind me that I have sisu. I am proudly American. I love this country. The Koskelas chose to come here. I am glad they did. But, I am Finnish as well. Sisu.
I have Finnish blood coursing through my veins. My children, my cousins, aunts and uncles all have Finnish blood in their veins. My wife doesn't. She doesn't have Finnish blood. She doesn't really know what she has flowing through her veins. It's red. That's all we know. She has red blood. I've seen it in her eyes when I don't give her debit card receipts. I guess she could take one of those DNA tests that tells her what her heritage is. Unfortunately for her, NO Finn. I feel sorry for her Non-Finnish self. She is inside doing a bunch of things that we Finns don't understand. She doesn't take sauna baths. She doesn't eat fish for breakfast. Weirdo.
Here is what we know about my wife's heritage, she is from Louisiana. The end. That's it. Seriously, that's it. Who is she? I know what you are thinking. How can a fine Finn like myself be associated with a woman of unknown descent? How? I'll tell you how. Let me describe my wife to you. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery are just a few words that embody the person that is my wife. Sisu. I don't know any better way to describe her. She has been through a lot in her life. She has been through a lot this year. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery. Sisu.
My wife's sisu inspires me daily. She doesn't need to take a DNA test to tell me that she is a Finn. She doesn't need Finnish blood to be a Finn. Her heart and her passion show me that she is Finnish. The greatest Finn that I know is married to me. The greatest Finn that I know is doing non-Finn things right now on a couch Over Yonder.
Sisu. It has a lot of meanings. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery are just a few words that embody the concept that is Sisu. There is a saying in Finland that says it best "It doesn't take sisu to go to the North Pole; it takes sisu to stand at the door when the bear is on the other side."
The Kristoff Maduro is not from Finland. It is from The Domincan Republic. It is dark and robust. The Miller Brewing Company is in Wisconsin. It is a fine pilsner. The Wheaton Terriers that are on the porch with me right now are from Missouri. The pee pads are from Wal Mart. The dog turds are from the Wheatons. It doesn't take sisu to enjoy the cigar and the Miller on the pee pad covered porch amongst the dog droppings and foul stench. That takes insanity.
Sisu is Finland. Finland is Sisu. My paternal grandmother's family came to the United States from Finland. Koskela is the Finnish family name. Sisu.
I need sisu now. I'm calling on my Finnish heritage to get me through this next few months. It will take sisu to get through the rest of 2018. Gracie's Finland flag is in the storage unit. I need to go get it and display in this apartment to remind me that I have sisu. I am proudly American. I love this country. The Koskelas chose to come here. I am glad they did. But, I am Finnish as well. Sisu.
I have Finnish blood coursing through my veins. My children, my cousins, aunts and uncles all have Finnish blood in their veins. My wife doesn't. She doesn't have Finnish blood. She doesn't really know what she has flowing through her veins. It's red. That's all we know. She has red blood. I've seen it in her eyes when I don't give her debit card receipts. I guess she could take one of those DNA tests that tells her what her heritage is. Unfortunately for her, NO Finn. I feel sorry for her Non-Finnish self. She is inside doing a bunch of things that we Finns don't understand. She doesn't take sauna baths. She doesn't eat fish for breakfast. Weirdo.
Here is what we know about my wife's heritage, she is from Louisiana. The end. That's it. Seriously, that's it. Who is she? I know what you are thinking. How can a fine Finn like myself be associated with a woman of unknown descent? How? I'll tell you how. Let me describe my wife to you. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery are just a few words that embody the person that is my wife. Sisu. I don't know any better way to describe her. She has been through a lot in her life. She has been through a lot this year. Grit, endurance, tenacity, determination, resilience, and bravery. Sisu.
My wife's sisu inspires me daily. She doesn't need to take a DNA test to tell me that she is a Finn. She doesn't need Finnish blood to be a Finn. Her heart and her passion show me that she is Finnish. The greatest Finn that I know is married to me. The greatest Finn that I know is doing non-Finn things right now on a couch Over Yonder.
Comments
Post a Comment