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My Turn by Wayne Chan

I am a changed man.

I just returned from a vacation and I am now a new man.

That’s what vacations are for, right? Leave behind the day-to-day stresses. The packages that don’t arrive on time. The deli putting mustard on your sandwich when you specifically asked them for mayo only.

We go on vacation to escape the doldrums of life.

Especially when travelling to a place like Bora Bora in French Polynesia, which is where we recently spent seven glorious days — soaking in the turquoise waters; a mix of French, Polynesian, and Asian influences in the food; sleeping in our over-the-water bungalow when not snorkelling amongst the fish in the waters below. It’s a respite from life. I’m rejuvenated.

Everywhere at the resort, we were met with friendly greetings of "La Orana" — which is the Tahitian version of "Aloha" — or just "Hello." Or in my specific case, "What’s up?"

We’re in paradise! What could I possibly complain about?

Well …

I’m not complaining, mind you, but just making some observations. The aforementioned activity of snorkelling, for example.

My lovely, gorgeous, and incredibly capable wife, through no fault of her own, doesn’t really know how to swim. In the 30+ years we’ve been married, I’ve tried to help her along, but she still gets extremely nervous when she’s near any kind of water.

The waters below our bungalow were crystal clear, and because our resort was basically in a shallow alcove, there weren’t any waves and, most importantly, the water, at its deepest, was 3½ feet. The water was also more than 80 degrees, so it was incredibly comfortable.

So, when we climbed down from our bungalow into the gentle waters below, the old, grumpy, pre-vacation Wayne might have made some smart-aleck remark when seeing his wife warily climb into the water with her snorkel gear as well as a full-on life jacket and pool noodle. Maya isn’t 3½ feet tall. She’s well above that.

The old Wayne, seeing her in this outfit, might have said something like, "I’m right next to you! But if you’re still struggling in the water, maybe just try standing up. Just stand up!"

But the new, relaxed, and carefree Wayne stood patiently in the water and didn’t say a thing.

Most of the bottom of the alcove was bare sand and we walked to the areas where there were coral reefs. I spent about 20 minutes being amazed by all the colorful fish swimming in and out of the coral. Maya, on the other hand, was about 20 feet away from me, apparently just staring at a huge patch of white sand below her, not really seeing anything.

I called over to her — "Why don’t you come over here where all the fish are?" She didn’t say anything.

I know she’s OK because she’s wearing enough PFDs (Personal Floating Devices) and most of her body is above the surface of the water anyways. She couldn’t sink below the surface even if she was holding two bowling balls.

The old Wayne would have thought that the way she was suited up, she was like a floating cork in the water. I certainly didn’t know where the cork was going and I was pretty sure the cork didn’t know where it was going either.

But the new Wayne didn’t think like that. No way.

Instead, the new Wayne walked over to her (yes, WALKED to her), grasped her PFD, and gently pulled her over to where all the fish were.

Because that’s what the new Wayne is all about these days. I’m a man who welcomes people and is filled with "La Orana."

And the new Wayne would NEVER crack a joke that she should wear all that stuff the next time she gets in the bathtub. No way. Stuff like that doesn’t even cross my mind anymore.

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