On July 26, 2019, my phone captured a moment I’ll never forget.
It popped up again this morning, one of those “on this day” memories.
There’s my son, Jordan, standing barefoot on the lava rocks in Ko Olina, proudly holding up a bright red reef fish he’d just caught. He was four years old, grinning ear to ear.
And every time we see that photo… we both groan a little.
Because it wasn’t just a great catch, it was the one that got away.
Actually… it was the one we let get away.
But before I explain that, let me back up.
For years, I had dreamed of taking the whole family to Hawaii.
But with eight kids? That felt about as likely as going to Costco and walking out with just one thing.
Then a buddy of mine, someone I played high school football with, died suddenly of a heart attack at 45 years old. He was a championship-winning coach, all-in, and a great dad.
At his funeral, his wife shared how every year he’d say, “One day, we’re all going to Hawaii.” It was his dream to take the family on a Hawaiian vacation. They were planning it... someday.
But that day never came.
And that stuck with me. I don’t know when I’ll breathe my last here on this earth. None of us do. There are no guarantees, and life can change in a heartbeat.
So in 2019, we finally made it happen.
We booked the trip, packed up the crew, and headed to Hawaii.
But this wasn’t just another vacation.
I was born there. We honeymooned there. We’ve always loved the people, the food, the culture, the slower pace, it’s a place that feels like home.
And this time, we got to share it with our kids. Not just for a weekend, or even a week, but for the entire month of July.
It turned out to be one of the greatest memories we’ve ever made as a family.
Which brings me back to the fish.
Jordan had just reeled in this red reef fish, bright, beautiful, and bigger than anything else we’d caught.
He begged me, “Can we eat it, Dad?”
Naturally, I did what any experienced outdoorsman would do: I asked a stranger.
The guy looked like a local and said, “Oh, the red ones? Those are poisonous.”
So… we tossed it back.
Later that afternoon, we were showing our fishing photos to my uncle, a well-known local fisherman. When he saw the red fish and heard the story, his eyes widened.
“That fish? That’s some ono! Everyone knows the red ones are the best-tasting fish on the island!”
My heart sank. We’d believed the wrong guy and tossed back what could’ve been crispy, golden, taco-worthy greatness.
Why am I telling you this?
Because we let something good go, not because we didn’t want it, but because someone gave us bad information.
He sounded confident. He looked the part. But he steered us wrong.
And I see that happen with people’s health all the time.
They’ve been told:
- “If it doesn’t show up on a scan, it isn’t real.”
- “Just rest and it’ll go away.”
- “There’s no break or tear, so you’re fine.”
- “Your bloodwork looks normal, it must be in your head.”
It all sounds reasonable in the moment. But too often, it leads people to overlook real solutions that could’ve made a difference.
Bad advice cost us a fish taco that day.
Not the end of the world, but a reminder: when you don’t know what you’re holding, you might let go of something worth keeping.
That day on the lava rock, as the sun was setting, my son looked up at me and said:
“I like being with you, Dad.”
That moment made the whole trip for me.
I’m grateful I had the health to be there, fully present, in that moment, in that place, with the people who matter most.
Because in the end, that’s what real health is for: not just feeling better, but being able to experience moments that become memories.
Wishing you a restful weekend and a strong, meaningful start to the new week ahead.
Dr. Derek “Still Wondering How That Fish Tasted” Taylor
www.drderektaylor.com
P.S.- I’m excited to share that Taylor Chiropractic & Laser Center will be hosting our first-ever webinar:
"How to Get Rid of Your Neck Pain Naturally" coming up on Tuesday, August 12th at 12 noon
We’ll be joined by a special guest expert from the Egoscue Center of North Palm Beach, who will share powerful posture-based strategies to complement what we do in the office.
Stay tuned, more details to come in an upcoming email!
