Every year, like clockwork, I make the trip to Pickering, Ontario to visit one of my dearest friends and her family. What started as a simple visit has become one of my most cherished annual traditions - a reminder that family is not always about blood.
The Colors of Autumn
There is something magical about Ontario in the fall. The maple trees explode into shades of red, orange, and gold that seem almost unreal. Coming from the Philippines, where we do not have dramatic seasons, experiencing true autumn still takes my breath away.
We always make time to drive through the countryside, windows down, just soaking in the colors. The air has that crisp quality that makes you want to wrap your hands around a warm mug and never let go.
Pumpkin Patch Adventures
The pumpkin patch has become our thing. We bring the kids, pile into the car, and spend the day wandering through rows of pumpkins, picking apples, getting lost in corn mazes. It is the kind of wholesome fun that fills your heart.
Watching the children grow up through these annual visits is bittersweet. I remember when they needed to be carried through the fields. Now they run ahead, picking out their own pumpkins, having opinions about which apple tastes best. Time moves too quickly.
Friendships That Feel Like Family
Being an immigrant means leaving people behind. It means birthdays missed, life events watched through screens, relationships maintained across oceans and time zones. It means learning to build new families wherever you land.
My friend and her family have become that for me in Canada. They have welcomed me into their home, their traditions, their lives. They remember my birthday. They check on me when I am quiet. They are home in a country that is not my home country.
The Simple Things
Our visits are not about doing anything extraordinary. We cook together. We talk for hours after the kids are asleep. We watch movies wrapped in blankets. We eat too much and laugh too loud.
These simple moments are what I treasure most. In a world that is constantly demanding more - more productivity, more achievement, more everything - there is something revolutionary about just being present with people you love.
Why This Matters
I write about travel and far-flung adventures, but I want to also honor the smaller journeys. The annual drive to Pickering. The familiar faces waiting at the door. The traditions that anchor us in a changing world.
If you have people in your life who feel like family - blood or chosen - hold onto them. Make time for them. The pumpkin patches and ordinary Tuesdays are what life is really made of.