As-salamu alaykum, sharing my journey to Islam (Finnish revert, 31, single mother)

I was born in Finland to a Finnish mom and a Russian dad. We were Orthodox Christians with icons at home, attending church on Easter and Christmas, and sometimes visiting monasteries. I always believed in God, but faith was more like a quiet tradition in the background. When I was 16, I traveled to Istanbul and met Muslims in real life, not just in books. What really caught my attention wasn’t just the religion itself, but how people lived their faith: strong community bonds, generosity, and always remembering Allah. Life back in Finland felt so individualistic and cold by comparison. In Turkey, I saw warmth, sincerity, and faith truly lived. I got married young, at 18, and became a mother. That marriage didn’t last, but it made me realize something important: in Muslim families, even when there are struggles, there’s a sense of responsibility, protection, and belonging that I never saw growing up in the West. For years I studied medicine, living between two different worlds-secular Finland and Muslim-majority cultures. The difference was clear: in Finland, "freedom" often meant loneliness and being treated as just a body. In Islam, even when people don’t practice perfectly, there’s dignity, responsibility, and real purpose. Everything changed when I visited the Maldives. My fiancé’s mother wore the hijab, and one day she kindly encouraged me to try it. I never thought I would, but when I put it on, I felt a deep peace. Instead of feeling restricted, I felt free-free from being judged by my appearance, free to be seen for who I truly am. That moment was life-changing. After that, I knew I couldn’t live halfway in Islam. I wanted a husband who prays, a family built on faith, and a life full of dignity. Alhamdulillah, Allah guided me. I learned to pray, I’m working on finishing the Qur’an, and every day I understand Islam’s wisdom more and more. Now, at 31, I’m raising my daughter with Islam at the heart of our home. I’m still learning and far from perfect, but I’m sure this is the true path. I’ve seen the other side-what they call freedom in the West-and I know how empty it is. I want my daughter to grow up with what I never had: faith, stability, and a loving family.