Bucket Lists

I've always been intrigued by people's bucket lists. You know, those lists of activities that a person wants to make sure they experience once before they die. In a way, I find them rather morbid and depressing. On the other hand, I think it's liberating to clearly express what is important to you and to spend your life pursuing interests away from career and family commitments.

Does a person start a bucket list when they are diagnosed with a terminal disease or when they reach the age of retirement? By that time, it seems as though there isn't enough time to do everything I would hope to do! After all, I do enjoy an adventure (or at least, what I define as an adventure). As the bucket list morphs as you age, is it fair to say that those things that cease to be included on your ultimate list were never truly on the list? Things are getting too philosophical now, so let's head back to safer territory.

There are many things on my personal bucket list, but most of them involve travel. Many of the items currently dominating my list also involve helping my parents achieve some of their remaining dreams. My mother, for instance, has always wanted to say that she has visited all 50 states. (I always tease her that driving through a state and visiting are certainly not the same thing. For her purposes, though, entering the state fits the bill for her.)  So there are some long distance road trips in the plans in the coming years for us. With a trip through the northwestern states and New England, we'll be fairly close to meeting her goal. Then I just have to convince her to hop on a plane with me to visit Hawaii and Alaska since she's adamant that she won't take a cruise!

After visiting Europe in graduate school, I definitely want to get back there. I plan to return to Germany, but I also fantasize about seeing Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Greece, and Great Britain. As soon as I cross those things off of my list, I'm sure I'll add a few more countries!

I fell in love with symphonic music while a student at Pepperdine and am becoming a greater fan of opera now that I am teaching about it. A lifelong goal has been to hear the major American orchestras in their home concert hall. When traveling with my family, concerts are not at the top of the list so I've not made much of a dent in this bucket list; so far, I've heard orchestras in Memphis (although not what I consider a major American orchestra), St. Louis, and Los Angeles. As you can see, I have many more to hear. Opera involves more world travel as I wish to see productions in major houses around the world. Thus far, I've seen performances in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (LA) and the Bayerische Staatsoper (Munich). I have plans to visit the Houston Grand Opera this fall, and hopefully the Met.

This doesn't even begin to address everything on my bucket list. I want to become fluent in American Sign Language, climb a rock wall, attend the Winter Olympics, learn to swim, and pick up a second instrument. Some may ask if I will be considered a failure if I don't accomplish everything on my bucket list. My response is that by simply pursuing as many items on my bucket list as possible, the life I live will be fulfilling and filled with tremendous memories of adventures dear to me.

So what's on your bucket list? What have you gotten to mark off and what things are in the plans now? I'd enjoy hearing from you. Who knows, some of your items may find their way onto my personal list as well. Now it's time to mark something else off of my bucket list!