Bucket lists.

Do you have a bucket list? or more correctly, do you have your bucket list written down anywhere? Because, after all, we all have things in our lives that we have done that someone else aspires to, which officially makes it something you can cross off your bucket list!

First of all, a bucket list is your list of life experiences that you want to have before you 'kick the bucket'--some of them are a big deal, like 'have a baby' or 'travel Europe', and others are silly, like 'get a piercing' (yes, that one is on mine, and the reason I call it silly is because what I really want is the confidence that I have a belly button that is piercing-worthy...a time which may have long passed for me, but I keep it on my bucket list to keep me inspired. :) )

Something I have come to realize about bucket lists is that they are only for certain kinds of people, and I use myself and my husband as examples. We are both list makers. I use my iTouch to make lists of literally everything, and then I refer to it frequently. Some of my lists are months, nay, years old. I'm OK with that. If it's on my list, it's alive and well. My husband could never have a bucket list, unless of course it was full of things he could accomplish in one day. (Please be advised that a true bucket list NEVER has the life experience 'clean my shoes' on it.) Bucket lists are meant to expand the richness of your life, to keep one thinking outside of one's little box. My husband, Mr. old-school, has a clipboard upon which he keeps a list written down of things that must be accomplished in one day, and Every. Single. Thing. gets a neat hash-mark next to it as it is accomplished during the day, but for him, the grind of daily living is too great to ponder the richness of dreams, no matter how fanciful or realistic, so that's my job in our relationship--and one I take very seriously. I have a bucket list; some of the things are my own dreams, and some are dreams we dream together, but it is tangible, and I check in with it about once every couple of months, usually to edit, usually to add, and occasionally to delete or refocus.

My bucket list is online, on this website: 43things.com. I keep it here because I like to check in with other people's bucket lists, because it helps me add to my own. I have a huge 'accomplished' bucket list, just because there are so many things others want to do that I have already done, and I have taken the time to add them to my 'done' list. I like to look at it because it reminds me of the richness of my life, and keeps me hopeful that things will be fun again someday; things like 'Get published', 'Go to a nude beach', 'see the northern lights', 'go skydiving'...things I had actually forgotten I had done. 'Oh, yeahhhhh...I used to be fun!' While other things, like 'Go on a road trip with no pre-determined destination' or 'refurbish an old airstream trailer' or one of the many traveling-related goals remain unfulfilled, but still part of my heart. Will my bucket list ever be done? I'm pretty sure that's not the point. Will I ever stop dreaming? Not as long as there's something left on my bucket list!
Try it!