Every few years my husband and I sit down and make a Bucket List. For those of you who don’t know, a Bucket List is a list of things that you want to do before you kick the bucket. Usually we open a bottle of wine, sit together on the couch and start dreaming. While doing some spring cleaning today, I stumbled upon a list from a few years ago.
It is interesting to take a look back at what were our priorities just a short time ago. Apparently seeing “Wicked” made the cut. We did see it. It was a great show but for the life of me I can’t figure out why it was so important that it made the list.
Many of the things that we put on the list have already been accomplished. For example, meeting my youngest nephew, finishing my Master’s degree, Tim running for office and adding a dog to our family. These things I can understand as priorities and I am pleased that we have been able to cross them off our list.
There are many places on the list that we want to go. None of them have been crossed off the list these past few years. It seems that the activities of daily life have pushed them to the bottom of the priorities. One day I still hope to go on these adventures but right now a weekend away with my husband or a family trip to the beach seem so much more important. I’m going to add those to the next list.
Some of the most impactful moments in the last few years of my life were never on the list to begin with. These adventures were happy surprises. Marrying one of my best friends to the love of her life on a beach in Mexico, getting a midnight call when their baby was on the way, teaching young Social Workers the skills they will need to do good in the world, opening a private practice, watching my son and daughter grow. These are all things that didn’t make the list. Yet they make up some of the happiest moments in my life.
One day this list will be painful because there will be losses along the way. We will eventually run out of time. The best things in life are also the ones that leave us the most vulnerable. For now our Bucket List is a reminder of who we were a few years back. It is a reminder of where we wanted to go with our lives and how we have changed. It reminds me to be open to the unexpected adventures. Most importantly it reminds me of the fact that eventually my time on earth will be over and to embrace the time I have.
Now if you will excuse me I need to look at the price of plane flights to Atlanta so I can go see the Muppet museum. One day I am going to see that frog.