B: bucket list

AlphabetChallenge

It's not the length of life, but the depth of life. 

             -Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don't think many of us take into consideration how short life can be, until someone we know passes. At that time we think about all the things that the person did and sometimes we highlight the fact that we believe they enjoyed life to the fullest.

But then for me...thinking about the life of someone else, makes me think about whether or not I have been living my life to the fullest. I question whether or not I have been using my God-given talents to the best of my ability, and if I have been laying the foundation for me to live my life to the fullest in the years to come. It also makes me think about all the things I'd love to do before I die.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say: 'I used everything you gave me!'

             -Erma Bombeck

One may see it as me being 'overly zealous about life' but I do believe that there is more to life than just living day to day. I believe that as individuals there should be those 'once in a lifetime opportunities' that we would love to get a hold of and those dreams that seem way out there, but for them we are hopeful.

It then begs the question: What are these dreams and once in a lifetime opportunities that I have? This 'things to do before I die' or 'dreams and once in a lifetime opportunities' list is known by some as a bucket list.

Pretty much it's a list of things you want to do in this one life you've got. I started my dream book (a version of the bucket list) round about when I turned 18. It's seen as more of a dream book than a bucket list because thinking about all the things you want to do before you die can be a bit morbid.....Instead, think about all the dreams you want to achieve as you go through life.

At first I simply listed everything that came to mind; from finishing my first degree to travelling to Australia, and just about all things in between. I tried to imagine: What do I want to do in a year/2years/5years/10years and so on? This honestly opens your mind to a lot...especially when you start thinking about age and all that jazz.

For a bucket list you don't necessarily need to be specific as to when and how and where (unless there is an obvious connection with a place of course), but with a dream book you'll need the who, what, where, when and why so that you can have a clear idea of what you want to do.

Every man dies. Not every man really lives.

             -William Wallace

Maybe because I'm all organized, my bucket list and dream book have been fused together so there is somewhat of a timeline and full plan of all the things I really want to do. I'll explain the dream book in another post though because I've got all sorts of particulars in it.

But if you're not the type to have everything organised to a T, just get a sheet of paper and jot down everything you want to do before you die. Be sure to note the places you want to travel to, the people you want to meet, the foods you'd love to indulge in and the totally out of the box experiences you want to have.

After that, all you have to do is get to it!

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't.

             -Richard Bach

Remember that life is promised to none and you never know which day will be your last.