Sara came rushing into our villa
“Honey! Honey!” she said. “I have the greatest news ever."
“You found plant-based Cheez-its?”
"They offer scuba certifications here!"
My heart sank because of a promise I made to my wife on our wedding day—a promise that I had conveniently sidestepped for 15 years.
You see, I have a bit of an aversion to scuba diving. Fish are not my friends; they don’t like me, and I don’t like them. We have an understanding.
So, scuba diving is not on my list of things to do. But I made the promise, and I was trapped on an island with a five-day forecast of overcast.
You see, over the years, Sara and I have asked many parents what they regret not doing with their kids or what are some of their best memories that they have as a family, and if we were playing Family Feud, the number one answer on the board is…
Travel. Ding—ding—ding. So… We booked a 30-day excursion.
And the last leg of our trip was in Fiji, which I thought was one small island—wrong—it’s 322 islands.
“I’ll go to the front desk and sign you and Lazer up,” Sara said with a smile. She sprinted out of the room.
I was cornered, with no escape route in sight. There was no dentist appointment, no speech to deliver, and no more dodging left in my repertoire.
I was trapped in Fiji with a 150-page scuba certification manual that I was told to read in one sitting. What? I’ve never read 150 pages in one sitting in my life.
But true love often requires sacrifices, and so I embarked on this underwater odyssey. While I was deep into studying, the clock ticking away, my son, Lazer, had already breezed through a 20-minute video lesson.
His commitment was inspiring, and it became clear that this journey was a father-son bonding experience.
Day one involved reading and quizzes, and I couldn't help but feel like I was diving headfirst into waters deeper than I'd imagined.
The book had a piece of advice, "If you ever feel like you're diving beyond your means, don't do it." That’s great advice. And yet there I was, my first dive, exceeding my means.
Despite the initial trepidation, by the end of it all, I was a certified scuba diver.
As we explored the underwater wonders of Fiji, I was experiencing something that most people don't get to see. And I'm not talking about the coral.
My son was right by my side with eyes full of wonder, my wife 100 feet deeper than us, exploring caverns formed by ancient lava tubes.
After every dive, we sat on the boat, sharing smiles and unforgettable stories.
It became clear that this unexpected adventure was more than just fulfilling a promise—it was a delightful dive into the depths of my marriage.
