Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Bucket List

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

It was a busy one for me, that’s for sure. I decided that this weekend I would take the time and visit some friends I haven’t seen in a while. So, I hopped in my car and drove the long six hours across state to their school.

It was a bittersweet feeling, being at a college. I miss the college life and surprisingly the stress that comes with studying for exams, but I was also happy that all I have to focus on is getting better and not finding time to study for my next set of tests.
While visiting with them and filling them in with my current situation, they started to ask me some interesting questions. Questions like “Do you regret anything in your life?” or, “Do wish you could change something?” the questions seemed never-ending.

At first, I was offended by what was being asked. How could someone think the worst of my situation and then go on to ask if I thought I lived a good life or not? But then I realized they were basic questions that any young twenty-year-old would probably ask if their life was suddenly turned upside down the way mine has been.

As we continued with our conversation, we started to talk about things we wanted to accomplish in life and things that are important to us. We began discussing the idea of making a list of things we wanted to accomplish. So, for the next hour we sat and each wrote out our own individual lists. I have heard of bucket lists before but never realized the importance of them.

Each of us made our lists for different reasons. For me, it’s a list of twenty-five wishes, hopes, and adventures. Some of my tasks I never pictured myself doing and others just seemed like exciting new experiences. Others made them as a path or guide for where they wanted their lives to go. Here are a few things that showed up on our lists:
  • Dance in the rain
  • Write little notes every once in awhile to the people I love
  • Skydive
  • Hold a snake
  • Get a tattoo
  • Learn something new
  • Say sorry to someone I hurt needlessly
  • Run in a 5k
These are not huge unmanageable tasks, but they are all things that we have dreamed or thought about. So, instead of dreaming or thinking about it we decided that we are going to tackle them. I encourage you all to write down things you want to accomplish. The list doesn’t have to be very big, but you may surprise yourself with the things that you want to set out to do. I would love for you to leave a comment about something you want to do before you die and maybe I will have to add it to my list. I look forward to reading all of your adventures!
~Katie
Photo Credit: notebook light by fall_lynx
Source: sxc.hu

6 comments:

  1. A bucket list is a great idea for anyone... I think I'm going to give this one some serious though, maybe I'll blog about it too. Thanks for the inspiration..

    Hope you are finding blogging/writing to be cathartic, I know that for me, it's literally changed my life.

    I think it's great that you are trying to keep your outlook as positive as you can. Know too that you can share the non-positive things when you need to do that too. That's the great thing about having your own blog, you can say whatever you want to say. :)

    Teri

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think I'll blog about this too. Great idea, Katie! It definitely helps give perspective on life and the things you find most important.

    ReplyDelete
  3. hmmm, you know for so long I only had one item on the list- get published.

    Then I had a short story published in a book and the goal became to get my novel published.

    But I've realized the list is a lot more than that. I think I will create my own list too.

    Oh and you've already done the second thing on your list. This blog is like a note to those you love and to those you haven't even met. It's a gift that you are sharing with all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Okay, Katie! I wrote a blog, hope you enjoy it:

    http://blog.lindsaymaddox.com/2010/03/12/before-i-kick-the-bucket.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Reading your blog has really made me think about what my bucket list is...I'm still thinking. The only thing that I could come up with is that I don't want to find that I am dying and then do the things that I have always wanted to do and live life the way I have always wanted to. Truely we are all dying right? So we should all be living life without regrets every day.
    I want to travel a little but nothing that I couldn't die without seeing. The most important thing to me is to leave a legacy of love to my family. I want my children to know how much they are loved, by God and by me, and by their Dad. I want to pass that love on to my future grandchildren even if I am not here to meet them.
    Thank you for making me think about this now rather then later!
    I love you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ok Katie -
    You're making me stretch on this one :)
    I've had the goal to learn the guitar forever, but I haven't have the discipline to practice. But if I want to get somewhere on this before I kick the bucket I better get on it. If I ever learn it well, you can take the credit for inspiring me.
    The other thing you made me think of is I'd like to sleep in a tent in the back yard more often. Sounds random, but it is invigorating to feel the wind at night and hear the birds in the morning!
    We live kind of close to a graveyard. I love it there. I walk in it about every other week. It has tall trees and a great view of the mountains. It is big, quiet, and peaceful. But I also like the way it challenges me to look at my life and ask myself what things really matter, kind of like your bucket list. :)
    ~ your sister-in-law
    P.S. I'm going to go practice my guitar now.

    ReplyDelete