GOLDEN HOURS IN THE FINNISH FOREST

Intro

These photos popped up in my Google Photos today, taken last autumn, on a quiet day off. I had almost forgotten about it. But the moment came rushing back, the golden leaves, the crisp air, and the simple joy of walking through the forest with a friend.

We didn’t have a plan. Just two OFWs in Finland, escaping the routine for a while. We wandered, we talked—about home, about life, about the things we missed and the things we were still figuring out. It wasn’t dramatic. But it was real. And sometimes, that’s enough.

This poem is for that memory. For the warmth of friendship, the beauty of autumn, and the quiet strength we carry—especially when we don’t realize it.

Golden Hours

I stepped outside with boots and laughs,  

No clocks to chase, no work, no tasks.  

The forest wore its golden crown,  

And leaves like stars came drifting down.  

Beside me walked my closest friend,  

No need for words, no need to pretend.  

We talked of life, of dreams, of home,  

Of how it feels to live and roam.  

Then came a stick. I couldn’t resist,  

I poked her side, she shrieked and hissed.  

We ran like kids beneath the trees,  

Our laughter echoing on the breeze.  

We played habulan through the light,  

Dodging trunks with pure delight.  

The golden leaves flew all around,  

A swirling carpet on the ground.  

We paused to breathe, to catch our grin,  

The joy still dancing on our skin.  

No need for plans, no need for maps

Just laughter filling nature’s gaps.  

I held a leaf, she held my gaze,  

A quiet peace in autumn’s haze.  

Though far from home, we felt so near

Two hearts alive, no trace of fear.  

And when the cold begins to creep,  

And work returns to steal our sleep,  

I’ll hold this day like something rare

Two friends, one forest, autumn air.

Stick Wars and Autumn Laughs

My friend Rizel and I had no plans, just a shared day off and a forest begging to be explored.

We wandered, talked, and took photos. But somewhere between the laughter and leaf piles, mischief bloomed. I found a stick, nothing fancy, just the perfect length for teasing. With a sly grin, I pointed it toward her back like trying to hit her in a slow-motion.

She turned dramatically, eyes wide, mouth open in mock horror. “You dare challenge me?” she laughed, striking a pose worthy of a movie poster. The forest echoed with giggles, and the trees seemed to lean in, amused.

It wasn’t about the stick. It was about the moment. Two friends, far from home, finding joy in the simplest things. No deadlines, no homesickness, just golden leaves, shared silliness, and the kind of laughter that makes you forget the cold.

A Birthday Note

Today is her birthday.  

And I don’t have a gift to give—no box, no ribbon, no card.  

But I have this: a memory, a poem, a story.  

A reminder of a day when we laughed like kids and felt completely free.  

To the friend who made that golden day even brighter—happy birthday.  

Thank you for the warmth, the laughter, and the way you turn ordinary moments into memories worth keeping.  

May this year bring you peace, joy, and more forests to wander through.

Final Thoughts

It’s funny how photos can bring back a whole season. That day in the forest wasn’t planned, wasn’t perfect, but it stayed with me. Maybe because it reminded me that even far from home, even in the quiet, we find connection. We find warmth in friendship, in nature, in the small moments we choose to notice.

Being an OFW in Finland isn’t always easy. But it’s in days like this—golden, unhurried, shared—that I remember why I keep going. Why we all do.

So if a memory pops up in your gallery, don’t swipe past it. Let it speak. It might just remind you of who you were, and who you’re still becoming.

About Me 

Hi, I’m Mari Felices. I write about love, heartbreak, and the quiet lessons life teaches us along the way. My words are pieces of my soul—sometimes poetic, sometimes raw, but always honest. If even one person finds comfort in my story, then my writing has done its purpose.