As I write this, I'm currently in Kyoto, Japan.
In just a few days, I'll be flying home to Vancouver and bringing a 23-month journey to a close.
What a journey it's been.
But if there's one thing this last month reminded me of, it's the importance of family.
I recently spent a month in Nueva Ecija surrounded by the people I love.
My mom, my grandma, my brother, my cousins, my auntie from Taiwan, my uncle from Toronto, my nieces and nephews—we were all together.
It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have everyone under one roof.
My auntie flew in from Taiwan. My uncle came home from Toronto. My cousins came home. Everyone was simply happy to be together.
You could feel the love.
You could feel the joy.
Maybe that's why this trip felt so special.
Maybe because I've changed so much since I first returned to the Philippines in July 2024 after being away for 13 years.
Back then, I was still healing.
This time, I got to simply enjoy being with the people I love.
One of the highlights of this trip was spending time with my nieces and nephews.
The last time I was in the Philippines, some of them weren't even born yet.
Now they're teenagers with their own personalities, dreams, interests, and ambitions.
It honestly felt like a time jump.
What stood out to me most wasn't how much they've grown.
It was how much love I felt from them.
I felt their excitement, admiration, and affection, and it reminded me how much I love them too.
I find myself rooting for them constantly.
I want them to do well in life.
I want them to see the world.
I want them to know that anything is possible if they're willing to work for it.
And if I can inspire them in some way, then that's something I'll always be proud of.
Another thing that touched me deeply was seeing how everyone cared for my grandma.
There was something beautiful about witnessing that love in action.
It reminded me that life keeps moving.
Children become adults.
Parents become caregivers.
Families grow older.
And moments like these become more precious because they aren't guaranteed forever.
For the longest time, family wasn't really at the top of my priority list.
Not because I didn't love them.
But because my friends became my chosen family. They were the people I leaned on, celebrated with, traveled with, and went through life with.
But somewhere along this journey, I created more space for family.
And what a gift that's been.
This trip reminded me how lucky I am to have a family that loves me, accepts me, supports me, and genuinely wants the best for me.
There's something incredibly comforting about knowing that no matter what happens in life, no matter how badly I fail or how many times I have to start over, I'll be okay.
For a long time, I felt that security through my friendships.
Now I can honestly say I feel it through my family too.
And somehow, that gives me the courage to dream even bigger.
What I didn't realize was that while I was out there living these stories, there were people back home living them with me.
They were following along.
They were watching.
They were rooting for me.
They celebrated my wins, worried about me when things got hard, and welcomed me home with open arms.
Maybe that's why this trip meant so much to me.
Because it reminded me that I was never doing any of this alone.
What makes this chapter feel even more special is that I got to end it with my mom.
Two years ago, during my healing journey, I made a conscious decision to become closer to her. Not because anything was wrong, but because I realized how important that relationship was to me.
Since then, we've shared countless conversations, memories, and experiences together.
And somehow, I found myself ending a 23-month journey with her in Tokyo—a city that once held my heartbreak and now holds some of my most meaningful memories.
As I dropped her off at the airport, I felt emotional.
Not because I was sad.
But because I was grateful.
Grateful for the memories.
Grateful for the firsts.
Grateful for the time.
And grateful that I chose to invest in our relationship when I did.
What a gift it's been to experience all of this with her.
As this chapter comes to an end and I prepare to return home to Vancouver, I find myself reflecting on everything these past 23 months have given me.
Every lesson.
Every friendship.
Every mistake.
Every heartbreak.
Every challenge.
Every moment of growth.
I wouldn't be able to hold this much love, this much patience, this much wisdom, and this much care within me without all of those experiences.
I've learned that healing requires action.
That relationships require effort.
That love grows where we choose to invest our time and energy.
And I've learned that some of the most meaningful things in life were there all along, quietly waiting for me to notice them.
As I look toward what's next, I don't know exactly what the future holds.
What I do know is that I'm surrounded by love.
The kind of love that cheers for you from afar, welcomes you home, and reminds you who you are.
And today, that feels like more than enough.
Maybe that's what this chapter was really about—not finding myself, but rediscovering the people who were there all along.
The people who cheered for me, believed in me, worried about me, welcomed me home, and helped shape the person I've become.
Because when I look at my life today, I realize that parts of me exist because of them.
And for that, I'll always be grateful.