I need to preface this post with a huge asterisks. I am not ignoring the no vote, the human atrocities and the environmental destruction that has increased at a rate of knots over the past year. I am awake, I can see and I want change and I will be expressing those sentiments in another format soon.
Before I do that though, I need to share my gratitude.
In June 2022, I was floating around the Pacific with my smoking hot wife, my two magical daughters and not a care in the world. We were gorging on a steady diet of fresh fish, rice and freight train reef passes. What else could you possibly want?
After a late arvo paddle at a fairly forgiving left, my wife and I were sipping beers from 'where you would rather be' when she dropped the idea of having another kid. I was in that post tropical surf haze, slightly sun kissed, partially dehydrated but completely stoked! The gravity of the question didn't even register as I was still rocking with the post surf buzz. "sure, life's short" etc etc and into the night we sailed.
A couple of months after our journey, some hard truths started to set in. Feelings of reservation, hesitation and uncertainty. Have we made the right decision, will this upset the yin and yang of kid one and kid two? My wife owned the decision and rolled through the pregnancy with confidence and valour. Me on the other hand, I felt like I had held my breathe for my nine months. I did not want to upset the apple cart, all I wanted was a smooth run with a safe delivery of baby and a stable recovery for mum.
As luck would have it, we got all of the above. Amazing midwives, a swift delivery and a boy with ten fingers and ten toes. Little Otis entered the family dynamic with ease and pre birth anxiety disappeared through the rear view.
Now here is the fun part. Back in June of 2022 we made the smart idea to pre book some dates for September 2023. After leaving the hospital and letting the real world smack us in the face, we remembered the accom booking. SHIT! Now we needed flights, cash and a baby passport. We hustled and completed the three tasks in an erratic matter, but we got them done which was the main thing. We boarded the flight from Melbourne to Nadi with a 10 week old.
This is where the gratitude really kicks in. Arriving in Nadi we were greeted with the warm air, the distinct aromas and the welcoming smiles. A 30 min bus ride, a 45 min boat trip and there we were. Back in paradise, reuniting with friends and people who we call family. The love shown to our 10 week old Otis is really hard to describe. We could be sitting down, enjoying breakfast and all of a sudden Otis is the arms of a loving, caring, kind Fijian women, gently being taken for a stroll whilst still taking orders or clearing tables. Where else in the world does that happen?
Yes we got waves, yes we connected as a family and yes we felt in harmony with the natural rhythm of the beautiful Pacific. But the overwhelming feeling of humbleness and gratitude to the people of Fiji was just something that was so amplified on this trip.
So when Im feeling bummed or havent been surfing as much as I'd like, I just try and think of what can happen, all in a year.