I wrote those three words and then stared at the page.
And stared.
And stared.
My Gosh…I am nearly 43 years old, and I don’t have a bucket list! I’ve been so caught up the last two years of a whirlwind life, including divorce, a move, and blah, blah, blah… that I’ve really stopped “dreaming” about things or goals for the future. While I thought, I decided to not include traveling to faraway places. (It seems like everyone wants to do that anyway, so let’s just take it off of the list, shall we?) After doing some long-hard thinking… I tried to come up with the things I’d like to cross off my bucket list.
1. Chinese Lanterns. Ever since I saw the movie Tangled, I have been enamored with the idea of seeing them rise in the night skies, and lighting one and sending it off. Not only are they beautiful, but to me, they represent something very hard to put into words… they symbolize a dream. A wish… a longing or hope… for discovering the beauty and passion in your life. As so beautifully put in the movie, “All those days watching from the windows, All those years outside looking in, All that time never even knowing just how blind I've been… Standing here, it's all so clear, I'm where I'm meant to be. And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted…And it's like the sky is new, and it's warm and real and bright, and the world has somehow shifted, All at once everything looks different…”
Yep. Chinese Lanterns. Top of the list.
2. Dancing. I want to learn to learn to ballroom dance. When I was a very young woman of age 18, I learned the basics and was actually hired to be an instructor. I’ve long since forgotten most of the Fox Trot and Swing, but ohhh how I’d love to learn again! (Preferably with a partner who can twirl me effortlessly around the floor!) And, you may as well add the Latin Samba and Cha-Cha to that… I blame So You Think Can Dance for my obsession with the ultra-hot saucy moves of the Latin dancing. Boy… to shake my assets like that… Sigh.
3. To have a convertible. No, I have no specific kind in mind. And yes, this is a completely materialistic item on the list… but I couldn’t help it. I’ve driven a convertible one time in my life, and it was soooo exhilarating! I’d love to experience that thrill every time I go out and do such mundane things as going to the grocery store. Life is about finding joy in simple pleasures...like zipping to the grocery store with my hair blowing in the wind... heh.
4. To see all of my children graduate high school and find themselves in a career they love, surrounded by a loving family. I’m sure most parents want this for their children, but as I think about all of the “stuff” I could do or have, it really comes down to the joy they bring me, and seeing them thrive, and being alive long enough to experience this.
And that led me to this bucket list item:
5. To take my children to Universal Studios in Florida. (Yeah, this is a travel one, but I have an ulterior motive.) My oldest is obsessed with Harry Potter… I’d love to watch her, and her sister and brother enjoy the Wizarding World up close and personal. The memories I have of taking my kids to Disney World years ago are etched in my brain and on my heart forever, and I know it’s a trip they’ll always remember. To take them back and experience that joy and fun with them again now that they’re older, and, before they move out on their own, is definitely on the list.
6. To write a NY Times best seller, or see my series turned into a movie. I know that’s a lofty goal, but hey, a girl can dream. I’ve always told my die-hard Ruby fans that the ultimate goal would be too see Ruby on the red carpet and silver screen.
7. To spend the day writing on my laptop in a coffee shop. So silly, I know! But I’ve never actually done this! My favorite chair or dining room pub table are usually my writing spots.
8. To know that I’ve inspired or motivated people in a positive way. I strive to meet this bucket list item all the time, and I think knowing you can affect someone in a positive way is one of the most life-affirming and wonderful experiences you can have.
I have two other items on my bucket list, but they are much too personal to share. See? It’s not very big… but I tried to think about non-materialistic things for this list (with the exception of the convertible! Ha! I reaaaalllly want of of those!)
When I watched “The Bucket List,” there was one line in particular that struck me. It was a question that Morgan Freeman’s character asked, and he said, “Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others?” I think, ultimately, this should be our goal in life; Finding our joy and passion, experiencing it, and bringing it to others around us. It’s important to remember that when things don’t work out for us, or don’t go as planned, we need to stay positive and think of another way to achieve our ultimate “bucket list”… I shall direct your attention to the wise words of Disney’s “Tangled”…
Rapunzel: “I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?”
Flynn Rider: “It will be.”
Rapunzel: “And what if it is? What do I do then?”
Flynn Rider: “Well, that’s the good part I guess. You get to find a new dream.”
Life is short and moments are fleeting. It sounds cliché, but don’t wait until tomorrow to do what you can do today. You’re not guaranteed a tomorrow, nor are any of your loved ones. Make your bucket list. Start living it. Go find your dream! And if it doesn’t work out… find a new dream! Live your own fairy tale and make your happily ever after come true. The power is within you.