Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman (two of my favorite actors) recently did a movie together entitled "The Bucket List". The premise of the movie: two old farts, who meet in the cancer ward of a hospital as they are about to die, decide to make a list of all the things they want to do before they...(wait for it)...kick the bucket. As I sat in the movie theatre and watched this movie, in the back of my head I kept thinking, "hey! that's a good idea. I need to make me up one of those lists." And then promptly forgot about it...although, the idea kept coming back and retreating and coming back again - even this morning, my devotion was about things the author wanted to do before she died. I remember when my stepmother was approaching her 50th birthday, she had a goal of visiting all 50 states before she turned 50. I think she made it. Now her goal is to visit all the continents (except Antarctica) before she turns 60.
I think it's good to set goals and to dream big, so here's my off-the-top-of-my-head "bucket list"...no set deadline (pun fully intended):- visit the pyramids
- go view the glaciers before they melt away
- go to Australia
- stand at the top of the Eiffel tower
- meet an old boyfriend at the top of the Empire State Building (just because they did it in AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER and SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE)
- visit all 50 states before I turn 50 - I've got 5 years...and probably 15 states to hit - better get cracking
- go to a really fancy restaurant, order anything I want - from appetizer to dessert - and not cringe when I get the bill
- see Roberta Flack in concert
- learn how to juggle
- learn how to dance salsa and ballroom
- go skydiving and hang gliding
- meet Lisa Bonet in person so I can see if we really look THAT much alike
- save enough money so that I really do have three months of living expenses stacked away somewhere for a rainy day (yeah, good luck with that!)
- become credit-card debt free...again! And then, stay that way.
- be kinder
- love more openly and freely
- tell the people who are important to me how and why they are in a tangible, long lasting way
OK, that's enough. That's 17 things...a good start. Some are realistic and definitely doable...others may take a little bit of planning ... and courage. As I mark things off, I'll probably share, so keep your eyes and ears open for progress reports.
What is on your "bucket list"? I'd really like to know, if you'd like to share.