100 things to do before you die? Who wants to consider that thought? Climb a mountain, para sailing, bungee jumping, white water rafting... they all sound like things you could do to lead to an early death - things one might do if they wanted to die.
But, what about living each moment like it's your last? Cherishing each breath of air. Loving like you'll never love again. Dancing like no one is watching, and much more.
12-step programs have figured it out, spouting things such as:
It's not the load that takes you down... it's the way you carry it.
The only way to have gratitude is to live in the now, not in the past or the future.
We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays.
Worry is a useless mulling over things we cannot change.
And who can forget one of the most popular ones - the one I turn to the most - one day at a time.
I like to add to that last one when thinking to myself or when talking with others - one day at a time, and if you can't do that, do one hour at a time. If that's hard, do one minute at a time until you get through. Maybe there are days you have to do one second at a time, and that's okay.
What 12-step taught me is that I can't control everything. Matter of fact, I can't control anything outside of my own behaviors. And sometimes, even those I have to ask for my higher Power's help with. I certainly have no control over death.
I can only do what I can do in that moment, and if what I can do is anything to work toward my goals of living life to the fullest, then that's what I need to do - even if my bucket list contains more conservative things such as going to Hawaii, flying a kite, or writing a book.
Your bucket list is not meant to be perfectionism, much like that which is symbolized by the philosopher's stone. It's meant to be ever changing. It's purpose is to focus you on your life's goals. I think it is a way of reminding you what the definition of living is to you. Maybe your definition of living is to streak through downtown Nashville in the middle of the day, while mine is to take baby steps toward an eventual flight to Venice. And that's okay.
My bucket list is not things I want to do before I die. It's things I want to do in order to live. "This is my quest, to follow that star, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far."
Blogophilia Week 18.7 Topic: Bucket List
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 points) Incorporate the philosophers' stone or stone of the philosophers ...
(Easy, 1 point) Include a lyric from a song by Cher
4 comments:
So, in this parallel world, you and I are hanging out at Steak N Shake, and making off with stuff, and having a wonderful time. Here, however, you are about to tell me to go fly a kite.
Still...
So, I have this urge to say something along the lines of "we would just be two crazy adults standing in the middle of an open field with a bunch of broken kites around us." lol
Yeah, but no one would believe us.
I am making a milk shake. I have vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, milk and a flash light.
Post a Comment