Bucket list

Things that went right today:

1) Schools are back open and on time!
2) Friend coming to visit this morning.
3) Sweethearts candies.


I have been pondering a lot lately on life and death. Maybe it's because we've had three family members hospitalized recently? Several friend's have suffered losses this year and I have grieved with them so perhaps that is the reason?  Could be that this is simply what a mid-life crisis feels like (gasp!)? Not sure, but in any case the reality of my own mortality has been on my mind as of late. Not in a depressing way. I'm not obsessing or anything. But more in an inspirational way. Recognizing the beauty and wonder of the life I have to live here. Realizing that I do not know when my end will come, and that there are so many amazing things to experience that I don't want to miss out on. I would hate to put them off until later only to find out that there is no later after all. I loved the movie "Last Holiday" where Queen Latifah's character thinks she is dying so she stops being conservative and does all of the adventurous things she had always dreamed of. What did she have to lose right? In the process she discovered what real living was truly about. Or the movie "The Bucket List" that had a similar theme, but with elderly men who decided it was never to late to get out and live life to the fullest. Isn't that what we were put here to do? As far as I am aware we only have one chance at life here on earth. It is up to us to decide how to direct our days. Which experiences are most valuable to us personally. What opportunities we will regret if we let them pass us by.  So I sat down today and wrote down on paper my own personal "Bucket List" (things I want to do before I kick the bucket).

1) Visit every continent
2) Visit every state including all of the Hawaiian islands
3) Learn to play the piano
4) Earn a black belt in karate
5) Run a marathon
6) Write a book
7) Earn my medallion
8) Take every child on a graduation trip
9) See all of my church temples
10) Read every word of the scriptures
11) Complete the family scrapbooks
12) Serve as a missionary
13) Place flowers on my grandparents graves in Canada
14) See a play on Broadway
15) Fit into a size 6 again


I fully expect this list to evolve over time. Some I will accomplish. Some I will decide were not that important to me after all. Some will be replaced by new goals I learn about. Others will be most meaningful in the attempt rather than the fulfillment.  I have had other dreams that are not listed, because I have already crossed them off. They made me who I am today. And I have a few other personal goals that are not in print here, but rather embedded in my heart. I am excited to tackle these next plans in this new phase of life I am entering now. There are many adventures contained above. Successes and laughter and hard work and loving service. Self discovery. It infuses me with energy just seeing the list in front of me. Life is so good and exciting and vibrant if we jump in with both feet and choose to really live. I am thankful today for my time here on this earth. I want to make as much of it as I can for as long as I am privileged to be here. This is my list. Everyone's will be different. Take a minute and write down your bucket list today. You'll be glad you did.