The Bucket List
I just watched a short video that made me cry, of a brief talk make by an Australian man, Nick Vujicic. Maybe many of you have seen it already, but it got me in the gut, and I found tears streaming down my face.
It is a video that I will show the kids in my classroom. I am sure some of them will laugh and poke fun of the guy, but I know it will be out of discomfort or nervousness. It puts life and one's complaints in perspective. And the message..."never give up", is so important for both the young and the old.
Which brings me to my topic...the Bucket List, another email sent to me today by a different friend, about how we should never put off till tomorrow....as we don't know how many tomorrows we have. Perhaps you might want to copy this list into a word processing program and keep just for yourself...to review from time to time to see if you have been following your dreams.
(x) Been to Europe (But want to go again)
( ) Been on a cruise-hmmm...now that is an idea.
(x ) Gone on a blind date (sorry folks, that is over rated and good for another blog)
(x ) Skipped school
(x ) Watched someone die (I guess there is much to be learned from this..sigh)
( x ) Been to Canada - several times
( x ) Been to Mexico-twice
(x ) Been to Florida-once
(x) Been on a plane-lots
(x) Climbed a lighthouse-Saugerties...cool!
(x) Swam in the ocean-OH YES
( x) Cried yourself to sleep-too many times.
( x ) Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington , D.C. - in 1977
(X) Played cops and robbers- of course!
( ) Flown a plane - uh NO and I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DO THAT
( x ) Owned a boat- does one that you power yourself count?
(x) Watched grandchildren grow-oh yes
(x ) Recently colored with crayons- YEP
( ) Been to the Kentucky Derby-NOPE but been to the races
( ) Been to Key West -no, but THAT I would like to do.
( ) Been to a rodeo- NO AND I DON'T WANT TO GO.
( ) Sang Karaoke - no, ok, I would try it if I were toasted.
( x ) Paid for a meal with coins only? - I am sure somewhere in my college days I did
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? (hehehe...YES)
( ) Made prank phone calls- NO AND THAT IS NOT NICE.
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - oh yes and I also managed a pea (not a pee)
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue - duh!
(x) Danced in the rain- yes, in fact, ran away in the rain when I was 5 or so
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus-YEP
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe - oh yes
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone-the Grand Canyon
( ) Seen the green flash at sunset--hmmm...no
(X) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
(x ) Owned a convertible-NOW I DO!
From the look of it I have done a lot of things on that list, including my dream of owning a convertible, building my own studio, and c0-owning my own gallery/stop. Some of them I have no desire to do...like a rodeo? That is cruel to the animals in my opinion. (who made up that list anyway?! How about use an outhouse, pee in the snow---now you haven't lived until you experienced that!)
There ARE some things I want to add to my list, and they are: start applying for artist residencies, apply for a Fulbright, take more art classes, and travel more. I have to say, if I died tomorrow, it would be without regrets as I have had a full, adventurous life.
But the list IS a reminder to keep pursuing your dreams.
Patti O Adventurer
It is a video that I will show the kids in my classroom. I am sure some of them will laugh and poke fun of the guy, but I know it will be out of discomfort or nervousness. It puts life and one's complaints in perspective. And the message..."never give up", is so important for both the young and the old.
Which brings me to my topic...the Bucket List, another email sent to me today by a different friend, about how we should never put off till tomorrow....as we don't know how many tomorrows we have. Perhaps you might want to copy this list into a word processing program and keep just for yourself...to review from time to time to see if you have been following your dreams.
(x) Been to Europe (But want to go again)
( ) Been on a cruise-hmmm...now that is an idea.
(x ) Gone on a blind date (sorry folks, that is over rated and good for another blog)
(x ) Skipped school
(x ) Watched someone die (I guess there is much to be learned from this..sigh)
( x ) Been to Canada - several times
( x ) Been to Mexico-twice
(x ) Been to Florida-once
(x) Been on a plane-lots
(x) Climbed a lighthouse-Saugerties...cool!
(x) Swam in the ocean-OH YES
( x) Cried yourself to sleep-too many times.
( x ) Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington , D.C. - in 1977
(X) Played cops and robbers- of course!
( ) Flown a plane - uh NO and I HAVE NO DESIRE TO DO THAT
( x ) Owned a boat- does one that you power yourself count?
(x) Watched grandchildren grow-oh yes
(x ) Recently colored with crayons- YEP
( ) Been to the Kentucky Derby-NOPE but been to the races
( ) Been to Key West -no, but THAT I would like to do.
( ) Been to a rodeo- NO AND I DON'T WANT TO GO.
( ) Sang Karaoke - no, ok, I would try it if I were toasted.
( x ) Paid for a meal with coins only? - I am sure somewhere in my college days I did
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? (hehehe...YES)
( ) Made prank phone calls- NO AND THAT IS NOT NICE.
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - oh yes and I also managed a pea (not a pee)
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue - duh!
(x) Danced in the rain- yes, in fact, ran away in the rain when I was 5 or so
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus-YEP
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe - oh yes
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone-the Grand Canyon
( ) Seen the green flash at sunset--hmmm...no
(X) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(X) Gone to the movies
(x ) Owned a convertible-NOW I DO!
From the look of it I have done a lot of things on that list, including my dream of owning a convertible, building my own studio, and c0-owning my own gallery/stop. Some of them I have no desire to do...like a rodeo? That is cruel to the animals in my opinion. (who made up that list anyway?! How about use an outhouse, pee in the snow---now you haven't lived until you experienced that!)
There ARE some things I want to add to my list, and they are: start applying for artist residencies, apply for a Fulbright, take more art classes, and travel more. I have to say, if I died tomorrow, it would be without regrets as I have had a full, adventurous life.
But the list IS a reminder to keep pursuing your dreams.
Patti O Adventurer
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