Bucket Lists and Their Purpose

Over the years (and as I'm grown older), the concept of a "bucket list" has always eluded me.

What, exactly, IS a bucket list?

buck·et list

noun

informal 

a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. 

"making this trip is the first thing on my bucket list"

Until more recently, I felt as if bucket lists were used as a way for people to say "Wow, I wish I could do these things in my lifetime, but if it doesn't work out, that's okay too."  To me, that just doesn't make sense.  In addition, if there are items on someone's bucket list that rely on something or someone else accomplishing a particular item first (for instance, become a best-selling music artist would require one to be discovered and signed with a record label first, and then require people of the world to buy copious amounts of that record to throw one into the "bestselling" category), is difficult no matter WHAT the outcome might be in the end.  It would require means outside of yourself to accomplish this goal, and the only one you can really depend on to make your dreams come true at the end of the day is...well...yourself.

Now, I am pretty positive that not everyone views bucket lists this way.  In fact, I'm even more positive in thinking that I'm probably one of only a select few with that particular outlook.  But, due to this, I've never really been one to dwell on and then make a list of items that I don't believe in striving too hard to accomplish before I leave this Earth.

HOWEVER

I can see how a list, even a small one, of things I am adamant about accomplishing before I pass, especially if they are aspirations that solely depend on me to complete, is something worth thinking about and using to construct this said "bucket list" for myself.

So, with all that being said, the following list of items I am about to share with you shall henceforth be known as...



1. Finish My Novel

This one is rather self explanatory.  I want to finish my novel that I've been working on for the better part of two years now in order to have it ready to submit for publication consideration.  It may not seem like a monumental start to a bucket list of any nature, but to me, it would be one of the biggest accomplishments of my lifetime, even if I don't get published.

2. Visit Egypt

I would love to visit the country of Egypt in my lifetime.  I have always been fascinated with the ancient Egyptians and their way of life, as well as their history, philosophy, and growth as a nation over so many years.  The overall history embedded in the country, plus the mystery and enchanting unknown surrounding the entirety of the Egyptian pyramids and tombs, makes it one of the highest places on my list of such to visit, and also the one I plan to make a reality in my lifetime.

3. Visit Europe

Again, something pretty self explanatory, but also very important to me in accomplishing.  I have been to England once in my lifetime, when I was just 13 years old.  I went to visit family and celebrate two familial birthdays shared by two cousins - one from the US, and one from England.  It was a large family gathering from many different countries, and thankfully I remember most of it.  However, I know for a fact that I did not take advantage of the opportunity to be in a place I now long to go back and visit.  With that being said, I want to make sure I travel to as many European destinations in my lifetime as possible.  I won't make it a priority to hit a certain number of destinations to visit, but want to make sure that I make an attempt to see as many as I can, including England again.  The destinations above are some of the options I would always consider, London and Colmar being the two I most want to see, but any and all will be applicable to fulfilling this bucket list item.

This would also include using the rail as well to get to and from certain destinations.  European train travel is tied right up there with visiting Europe!

And last, but certainly NOT least...
4. Hike the Pacific Crest Trail

This...this is something I so desperately want to do in my lifetime, something I hold so dear to me that I can't help but think about it on a daily basis, almost every hour.  I know deep down that it will take a hell of a lot of planning, and I would need to be even more careful than most who complete this venture.  Being that I'm type 1 diabetic, it would be very detrimental to me, and to others for that matter, if something happened to me while I was on this trek.  Not to mention making sure I had enough supplies and treatment with me to make the expedition in the first place.  I would have to have care packages set up for me at each and every stop imaginable, make peace with the fact that my pack would be considerably weighed down by the supplies I would have to carry to treat myself for low and high blood sugars, and make sure I was under the strictest control of my life in order to eliminate as many possibilities of disaster as possible.

But with all of that being said, and all of that against me, this is still the one thing I want most to complete in my lifetime.  I don't care if I'm 32 or 62 when I do it, I just want to make it happen.  I don't want to do it alone either (mostly because of the diabetes thing again), but I do want to make sure I meet new people.

I blame a lot of this on Cheryl Strayed, the compelling and bestselling author of "Wild" - the book in which Cheryl does the same thing - hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  Recently, the movie based on the book hit theaters, starring Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, and that film just helped fuel my passion for this to be a reality.  Seeing the trail through the lens of a film camera was the closest I've ever been to doing the real thing, and I can only imagine what it would be like to take those steps myself.


One day, this will be my biggest accomplishment in life



And with that, you have my bucket list.

Peace out, world.




If you're interested in reading Cheryl Strayed's amazing memoir "Wild", you can order it from Amazon right here:

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