After spending a fantastic 8 days in Cancun proper, we headed about 45 miles south to the Riviera Maya region of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula - an area rich in culture and heritage as it comprised a significant portion of the Mayan lowlands (although the Mayan culture did extend south through present-day Guatemala and Honduras). The region is dotted with pristine beaches, archaelogical sites (incl. Chichen-Itza and Tulum), and Cenotes (sinkholes filled with fresh-water). Our "home" was the Fairmont Mayakoba - an absolutely stunning property with amazing amazing service! Loved it!
Coming up on our 3rd week of unemployment, we were beginning to settle into a decent routine - revolving mostly around Aiyana's continous Wake-eat-play-poop-sleep cycle! :-) - it certainly felt pretty amazing to be "free" and one of the most amazing experiences that I'm having on pretty much a daily basis is uninterrupted quality time with Aiyana - time to bond, talk, dance, listen to music, cuddle, kiss, snuggle ... being a dad is an absolutely amazing feeling! Aiyana is developing quite the personality as she becomes more and more interactive - laughing, grabbing, expressing displeasure, making all kinds of sounds, clapping - such a joy to see her grow up right in front of our very own eyes. How great to be able to experience all this without the interruption of everyday work! :-) ... now, if only I could figure out a way to do this full-time, all-the-time! ... seriously though, working on some scenarios that will give us more "control" over our time which I've always believed is our most precious commodity (and non-renewable at that!)
Partway through the trip, we were joined by Anshu's cousins from New York - they have a 10-month old daughter and it was totally amazing to watch them interact and play (see pics below!) ... had a great time hanging with Shree, Taaniya, Jay, Neal and Anya! Special shoutout to my "boys" Jay and Neal - enjoyed something very simple with them - a "tripli" - 3 of us riding one bike around the Fairmont grounds - made me wonder why we consciously or unconsciously forgo the simple things that can bring us a great deal of joy!
Moving on ... one of my bucket list items (#61 to be precise) was to get certified as a scuba diver - and what better time to pursue this than off the coast of the Riviera Maya - home to the Mesoamerican barrier reef - the largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere and the 2nd largest reef in the world. After doing some initial research, I found a dive shop in the town of Playa Del Carmen (about 15 minutes south of where we were living), showed up and got started on my certification. A 3-day course involving 5 confined water dives (in a pool), 4 open water dives (in the ocean) and 8-hours of classroom study. It was quite the experience - the short story is that I got certified as a scuba diver at the end of those 3 days, the long story is that it was harder than I thought - what with all the equipment; the multiple variables involved - rate of breathing, buouyancy, weights, weather, water current; and not to forget the fact that you're 30-40 feet underwater and breathing through a mouthpiece! :-) ... here's the conversation that Aiyana and I had about my scuba diving adventure!
Me: Aiyana, daddy has always wanted to become certified as a scuba diver so I'm going to sign-up for a scuba course. You know it's actually item #61 on my bucket list.
Aiyana: That sounds like a lot of fun dad, why haven't you done it so far?
Me: I've been busy beta - work etc. - you know how it is?
Aiyana: Actually, I don't. Have you been really busy or did you just choose not to make it a priority?
Me: Hmm ... now that you ask me, it's probably more the latter.
Aiyana: Hmm ... so the next time you are about to make an excuse saying "you've been busy", how about you say "I chose not to make it a priority" and see how that works.
Me: Ok - deal - I can already see how that might change how I assign priorities - thanks doll for the good idea!
After the 1st day of dives (confined water - in the pool) - our conversation continues...
Aiyana: How was it dad?
Me: Loved it - it was such a cool feeling to be able to breathe underwater - the instructor made me go through many different exercises/drills. Good stuff - although, to be honest, I am a bit nervous about tomorrow's open water dives.
Aiyana: Cool! Don't be nervous dad - anytime you try something new, some nervousness is to be expected - I am trying so many things in my life for the first time since I'm so young but instead of feeling nervous, I always feel excited at every new thing! So, how about you focus on the excitement instead of the nervousness. You've got nothing to worry about!
Me: Hmm ... we'll see
After a night spent dreaming about diving, I headed into Day 2 - scheduled for 2 open water dives. Dive 1 was a really bad dive - I was scared (yes, I was!) and consequently everything was affected - my breathing was too shallow, my buoyancy was out-of-control, my sense of direction was messed up - I guess I let the fact that I was 40 feet underwater and breathing through a tank on my back mess me up - reflected on how I might've felt before having Aiyana and I think I would've felt differently - a lot of times I find myself thinking about what impact my decisions and behavior might have on Aiyana. Dive 2 was much better - I was able to get over the initial nerves and consequently the overall dive went much better! Headed back "home" in the evening and Aiyana was full of quesitons for me.
Aiyana: How did it go dad - fun, right?
Me: It was fun but your dad was scared and nervous!
Aiyana: But I told you to focus on the excitement and not the nervousness!
Me: Yes, you did but somehow I let my head get messed up!
Aiyana: Hmm ... ok, well what did you see down there? I've heard it's really a different world.
Me: I didn't see much - I was too busy checking my pressure gauges to see how much air I had left in my tank. The instructor pointed out some flounder and some lionfish but I scarcely paid attention to those! I was too busy wanting to get the dive over with. I'm not sure this diving thing is for me!
Aiyana: Oh, come on dad - you've always wanted to do this so be positive and just go for it. Don't focus on the things that could go wrong, focus on the things that will go right! I know you can do this!
Me: We'll see!
After another night of dreams about diving, I headed into the final day - 2 more open water dives with drills/exercises/skill tests baked into each. I was feeling more confident thanks to Aiyana's encouragement and decided to let me rule my thoughts vs. the other way around! Dives 3 and 4 were fantastic - I was much calmer, more relaxed, saw the amazing underwater beauty - experienced "weightlessness", saw lionfish, octopus, flounder, sting rays and all manner of colorful tropical fish swimming right alongside me - exhilarating! That evening, Aiyana schooled me yet again! :-)
Aiyana: Dad! Tell me how much you loved diving! You did, right?
Me: I did Aana (my petname for her) - you were right, I focused on the things that would go right vs. the things that could go wrong. I tamed my fear. I opened myself to the possibilities and everything went smoothly. I saw an amazing array of underwater creatures and experienced the vastness of the universe. I felt a great sense of exhilaration at the end of my dives and am so proud to have earned my open water diver certification. I could not have done it without your and mama's encouragement!
Aiyana: See, I told you "you could do it"! Why else do you think it was so much better?
Me: I also visualized each dive before doing it - and thought about all the various aspects of the dive - getting on the boat, getting the equipment on, getting into the water, descending to the bottom - those were 2 minutes well-spent - imagining the outcome!
Aiyana: Awesome dad! I can't wait to grow up and go scuba diving with you!
Life Manifesto (ever-evolving; in present tense and not future tense):
I live a life that minimizes regret.
I strive to be passionate in all areas of my life.
I strive to be a love magnet and a love transmitter.
I dream big.
I do not kid or cheat myself.
I own my things vs. letting them own me.
I am grateful.
I take the risks needed to chase my dreams.
I do not rely on the crutch of excuses that prevent me from living the life I want.
I constantly see the beauty in everyday people, places and things.
I stay flexible and adaptable especially when things don't go exactly according to plan
I smile and resolve issues by being cheerful vs. being agitated and angry
Coming up on our 3rd week of unemployment, we were beginning to settle into a decent routine - revolving mostly around Aiyana's continous Wake-eat-play-poop-sleep cycle! :-) - it certainly felt pretty amazing to be "free" and one of the most amazing experiences that I'm having on pretty much a daily basis is uninterrupted quality time with Aiyana - time to bond, talk, dance, listen to music, cuddle, kiss, snuggle ... being a dad is an absolutely amazing feeling! Aiyana is developing quite the personality as she becomes more and more interactive - laughing, grabbing, expressing displeasure, making all kinds of sounds, clapping - such a joy to see her grow up right in front of our very own eyes. How great to be able to experience all this without the interruption of everyday work! :-) ... now, if only I could figure out a way to do this full-time, all-the-time! ... seriously though, working on some scenarios that will give us more "control" over our time which I've always believed is our most precious commodity (and non-renewable at that!)
Partway through the trip, we were joined by Anshu's cousins from New York - they have a 10-month old daughter and it was totally amazing to watch them interact and play (see pics below!) ... had a great time hanging with Shree, Taaniya, Jay, Neal and Anya! Special shoutout to my "boys" Jay and Neal - enjoyed something very simple with them - a "tripli" - 3 of us riding one bike around the Fairmont grounds - made me wonder why we consciously or unconsciously forgo the simple things that can bring us a great deal of joy!
Moving on ... one of my bucket list items (#61 to be precise) was to get certified as a scuba diver - and what better time to pursue this than off the coast of the Riviera Maya - home to the Mesoamerican barrier reef - the largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere and the 2nd largest reef in the world. After doing some initial research, I found a dive shop in the town of Playa Del Carmen (about 15 minutes south of where we were living), showed up and got started on my certification. A 3-day course involving 5 confined water dives (in a pool), 4 open water dives (in the ocean) and 8-hours of classroom study. It was quite the experience - the short story is that I got certified as a scuba diver at the end of those 3 days, the long story is that it was harder than I thought - what with all the equipment; the multiple variables involved - rate of breathing, buouyancy, weights, weather, water current; and not to forget the fact that you're 30-40 feet underwater and breathing through a mouthpiece! :-) ... here's the conversation that Aiyana and I had about my scuba diving adventure!
Me: Aiyana, daddy has always wanted to become certified as a scuba diver so I'm going to sign-up for a scuba course. You know it's actually item #61 on my bucket list.
Aiyana: That sounds like a lot of fun dad, why haven't you done it so far?
Me: I've been busy beta - work etc. - you know how it is?
Aiyana: Actually, I don't. Have you been really busy or did you just choose not to make it a priority?
Me: Hmm ... now that you ask me, it's probably more the latter.
Aiyana: Hmm ... so the next time you are about to make an excuse saying "you've been busy", how about you say "I chose not to make it a priority" and see how that works.
Me: Ok - deal - I can already see how that might change how I assign priorities - thanks doll for the good idea!
After the 1st day of dives (confined water - in the pool) - our conversation continues...
Aiyana: How was it dad?
Me: Loved it - it was such a cool feeling to be able to breathe underwater - the instructor made me go through many different exercises/drills. Good stuff - although, to be honest, I am a bit nervous about tomorrow's open water dives.
Aiyana: Cool! Don't be nervous dad - anytime you try something new, some nervousness is to be expected - I am trying so many things in my life for the first time since I'm so young but instead of feeling nervous, I always feel excited at every new thing! So, how about you focus on the excitement instead of the nervousness. You've got nothing to worry about!
Me: Hmm ... we'll see
After a night spent dreaming about diving, I headed into Day 2 - scheduled for 2 open water dives. Dive 1 was a really bad dive - I was scared (yes, I was!) and consequently everything was affected - my breathing was too shallow, my buoyancy was out-of-control, my sense of direction was messed up - I guess I let the fact that I was 40 feet underwater and breathing through a tank on my back mess me up - reflected on how I might've felt before having Aiyana and I think I would've felt differently - a lot of times I find myself thinking about what impact my decisions and behavior might have on Aiyana. Dive 2 was much better - I was able to get over the initial nerves and consequently the overall dive went much better! Headed back "home" in the evening and Aiyana was full of quesitons for me.
Aiyana: How did it go dad - fun, right?
Me: It was fun but your dad was scared and nervous!
Aiyana: But I told you to focus on the excitement and not the nervousness!
Me: Yes, you did but somehow I let my head get messed up!
Aiyana: Hmm ... ok, well what did you see down there? I've heard it's really a different world.
Me: I didn't see much - I was too busy checking my pressure gauges to see how much air I had left in my tank. The instructor pointed out some flounder and some lionfish but I scarcely paid attention to those! I was too busy wanting to get the dive over with. I'm not sure this diving thing is for me!
Aiyana: Oh, come on dad - you've always wanted to do this so be positive and just go for it. Don't focus on the things that could go wrong, focus on the things that will go right! I know you can do this!
Me: We'll see!
After another night of dreams about diving, I headed into the final day - 2 more open water dives with drills/exercises/skill tests baked into each. I was feeling more confident thanks to Aiyana's encouragement and decided to let me rule my thoughts vs. the other way around! Dives 3 and 4 were fantastic - I was much calmer, more relaxed, saw the amazing underwater beauty - experienced "weightlessness", saw lionfish, octopus, flounder, sting rays and all manner of colorful tropical fish swimming right alongside me - exhilarating! That evening, Aiyana schooled me yet again! :-)
Aiyana: Dad! Tell me how much you loved diving! You did, right?
Me: I did Aana (my petname for her) - you were right, I focused on the things that would go right vs. the things that could go wrong. I tamed my fear. I opened myself to the possibilities and everything went smoothly. I saw an amazing array of underwater creatures and experienced the vastness of the universe. I felt a great sense of exhilaration at the end of my dives and am so proud to have earned my open water diver certification. I could not have done it without your and mama's encouragement!
Aiyana: See, I told you "you could do it"! Why else do you think it was so much better?
Me: I also visualized each dive before doing it - and thought about all the various aspects of the dive - getting on the boat, getting the equipment on, getting into the water, descending to the bottom - those were 2 minutes well-spent - imagining the outcome!
Aiyana: Awesome dad! I can't wait to grow up and go scuba diving with you!
Life Manifesto (ever-evolving; in present tense and not future tense):
I live a life that minimizes regret.
I strive to be passionate in all areas of my life.
I strive to be a love magnet and a love transmitter.
I dream big.
I do not kid or cheat myself.
I own my things vs. letting them own me.
I am grateful.
I take the risks needed to chase my dreams.
I do not rely on the crutch of excuses that prevent me from living the life I want.
I constantly see the beauty in everyday people, places and things.
I stay flexible and adaptable especially when things don't go exactly according to plan
I smile and resolve issues by being cheerful vs. being agitated and angry
* I pursue experiences that I'm afraid of as a method of self-development
* I visualize positive outcomes
* I rule my thoughts
And finally some more pics from our trip...
A panoramic shot of 5th avenue in Playa Del Carmen
5th avenue in Playa Del Carmen
My darlings in the hotel lobby - Aiyana was mesmerized by this life-size panther statue!
Awesome lobby lounge and bar
Clear blue waters - tranquil!
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