Sumas, Washington vs. The Peace Arch

Which way should I cross the international border into Western Canada? Through the Peace Arch Historical State Park that was made to honor the treaties between the U.S. and Britain emerging from the War of 1812?

Or through the unassuming, rural town of Sumas, Washington?

While it may seem that the Peace Arch is a much more glamorous and elegant way to cross the border into Canada,  it also comes with long wait times and lines of cars seeking to pass border control. The Canadian side of the Peace Arch park remains closed because, if it were to open, Americans could enter into the Washington state side of the park and cross into the Canadian side without passing through border control. This creates a significant possibility that an unvaccinated American could end up in Canada and such things are to be avoided.   

Sumas, while less spectacular and not as stately, has a special place in my heart. Many years ago, I travelled with a friend to Vancouver, BC to help him with moving his mother into assisted living.  This involved clearing out her home and throwing or giving away many things that were precious to her.   One of such precious things destined for the landfill was a large Silver Queen houseplant that she had kept fabulously healthy and happy in her home for many years.   

I imagine you can guess where the story goes from here.  I have a soft spot for all of our green friends on planet Earth (well most of them -- I unfriended nettles and poison ivy some time ago) and I wanted to show respect to the woman and mother whom I had never met. So, naturally, I carried the large, lush Silver Queen out to the van and wedged her in among the other stuffs that had landed there.  

Of course, it didn't occur to me that the border guards at the Peace Arch would care about a lone houseplant... especially at 11 p.m. at night when we reached the border crossing.  I was definitely very wrong on that score and, thanks to my naive assumptions, I had to return to Vancouver to return poor Silver Queen to an empty house. Then, I had to head back down to the border empty-handed.  My friend was not thrilled with the delay. 

I was young and stubborn at the time, so the next day, I headed back to Vancouver, picked up Silver Queen and headed to the Sumas crossing where the Green Friends Inspection Office is located.  There, I encountered a dozen others who were seeking to carry their little plants across the border. There was no shortage of stares as I handed over big, lush Silver Queen (who dwarfed all other plants in the room by two orders of magnitude or more) to be inspected.   

Silver Queen passed inspection and headed home with me. To this day, she sits in my living room, still flourishing, despite my occasional neglect and failure to water her properly.

Silver Queen will always remind me to show respect for lives well lived and to value the elderly.  And, my little adventure in bringing her home will ensure that Sumas, Washington remains a special place in my memory.