Bucket List

         

         Long before the movie The Bucket List I had read about making a list of 50 things you want to do before you die, I don’t remember where I’d read it, but I did make a list, several times since I keep losing them.  It would be fascinating to find all the lists I’ve made and see how many things are repeated, but the thing is, I think we all have some sort of a bucket list whether it is written down or not.

          My parents retired early so that they could attack their bucket lists although I don’t know that anything had been written out since this too was long before the movie came out.  They did a lot of things that they hadn’t had time for and they had a great time doing it.  They traveled the country in an RV work camping and seeing as much of the country as they could, sometimes getting to work jobs they’d always wanted to try like being trail guides on a dude ranch.

          After a while, the shiny of regular adventures wore off and they slowed down a bit.  The movie The Bucket List came and went and they still continued on with a contented retirement sharing as many adventure with their grandkids as they could.  Then there was the Mississippi river boat trip.  “It’s on our bucket list,” my Mother had said.  I thought that was great.

          That river trip seemed to set in motion a more sincere attempt to accomplish things on their bucket lists, and the adventurers were back to adventuring.   I found out being in a Musical was on my Mother’s bucket list not that long ago when she started to tell me about the Musical she had gotten a part in.

          Last night I had the privilege of taking Barbara Ann to the final performance of Rogers and Hammerstein’s The King and I at the Playhouse 2000 so she could have her turn to watch Sjona Mör in a play.  The Playhouse in Kerrville puts on first rate productions; they even had a live orchestra in the pit so everything was live!  I am so proud of both my parents and happy for them too, making sure to live life to the fullest always.  They don’t talk about doing things, they do them, and my Mother jumped into the world of the stage with both feet so she could cross off one more thing on her list.

          So tell me, what’s on your bucket list?