Most of us have heard of bucket lists. I’ve done a couple in my life and realized there were things I hadn’t even known I wanted to do when I started to write them down. I’m close enough to 65, to say I’m 65 and my bucket list has changed and morphed through the years.
So, the first question is, why bother? Why bother when life is so uncertain, when I have a ton of things to do, when in the age of a pandemic, why would I take the time? And there in lies my answer. Because there is no time except the present time!
I’ve had miracles out of bucket lists. My father, who has been gone for a few years now, went to New Zealand on a Fly-Fishing Trip; something he had wanted to do all his life, but wouldn’t allow himself to do. I heard him talk about the regret of not going and decided it was important to me that he went. So, one Christmas my husband and I set up the trip for him. When he got back, he was a different person. The regret was gone, and the world was suddenly open to not only him, but to our mom. They traveled to Alaska and other parts of the world, they let themselves explore and enjoy life.
On another occasion all I ever wanted to do was to travel and paint in France. That was on my bucket list. I did that and more. I went with other creative souls to France and spent time in Paris, painted in Provence and had a gallery show. Fulfilling on that dream led to many other adventures, new friends, many other gallery shows and more importantly fed my soul and I began to relate to myself as an Artist and part of an international community.
There are many more miracles I could share, but right now, today, it’s time to start a new one. One that I’ve never written before. There may be many items on the list that have been there before but what I’m intrigued by is the one’s I haven’t allowed myself to dream of. So, here are the questions I’m going to start with:
1. What are the places I dream of visiting/or living in?
2. What are the adventures I would love to dare to do?
3. What are the projects I would love to see completed?
4. What are the dreams I dream of for my family, my friends, my community, and my world?
A bucket list is NOT a to do list, it’s not a list of only possible things but a list of impossible big dreams (and small quiet ones too!). It’s a dream list, a place to allow for exploration, inquiry, discovery and possibly in the process become a bigger dreamer and have miracles happen.
There are lots of forms for Bucket Lists online. I’ve created one of my own, you are welcome to use, or create your own!
fais de beaux reves!
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