Bucket list posts and pumpkin pins galore are flooding your Pinterest and Facebook walls. That must mean that fall is here. Time when blogging mommies get back to creating great content and feeding each other ‘the hottest’ new thing to post about. Yet again this year it is all things pumpkin and fall bucket lists.
Last year I bit my lip and said nothing. I ignored the bucket lists with a deliberate and vehement purpose. I could not attempt to look at them. This year I have changed and I decided to look at some of the most popular bucket list posts and Pinterest boards. What does the average person, almost all of whom are not dying, think a bucket list is?
ugh.. 
Materialist- loads of people listing the closet of clothing, jewelry, dream cars/house/life, mommy wars part billion (pitting mommies against each other to show off)
Self Serving- snarky revenge pins/posts to get back at your boss/old high school bully/anyone annoying (great I just made that list.. boo)
Carnally Based- entire boards of people they need to date or further before they die
but only some people choose to go there.
The rest of you have your mind and heart going in the right direction. You want to share the here and now with you loved ones. The fun of a great family oriented season. Thank you.
I am with you. I have 5 kids. I want to go apple picking. Take field trips to far flung locations. Share my love of beautiful sunsets over the ocean with my kids. In fact I am so with you on these ideas I am actively working towards making these ‘bucket list’ items happen.
However the whole bucket list thing has gotten so much press and bounced around the web so much it no longer represents a true list of what would you do if you were dying?
Lets look at this from 2 directions one where you are now. Healthy and whole with a life.
- What can you list as life dreams?
- What would you LIKE to have at least tried before you die?
- What do you think would be an INCOMPLETE life if you never even tried?
Now think about being struck with a suddenly illness or devastating injury or even told you only have weeks to live. Those weeks will most likely be filled with pain, medications, and health care nurses like hospice or even hospitalizations.
- What are you able to do physically? (immune compromise, mobility problems, bedbound)
- How much energy do you have? (while your body is whole-ish it takes a TON of energy to fight life ending issues)
- What do you REALLY want to pour your soul, love, and what is left of life into?
- Have you been enough places, seen enough things, now it’s all about the people?
Those two lists will most likely be very different. That is just fine my friends. If you are healthy and hale GO FOR IT! Make a list of great things to go do with your family and enjoy. Go while you can don’t wait for someday. Let me encourage you please start planning today and make those list turn into reality.
Those that are hurting or your loved ones are dying will focus you like nothing I have ever experienced before. You will find a thing or two that is grandiose to try for. The majority of your bucket list will be a real hands on here and now list. Making peace with family. Taking time to talk with old friends. I pray you heal and even if you do all these things now it is not a bucket list.
Hubby and I chatted about the whole bucket list thing and have decided to change it to a To-Do List. That way there is never an end. I can keep adding on and move things around as I feel fit.
Here is my board- To-Do List
Now am I really ticked off at you friends for your bucket lists. No. There are those that are taking the whole bucket list idea and making a mockery of it. That does make me mad. In short we are all just looking for new energetic ways to share with our families. Great ways to experience all the wonderful things of life!
Please take a moment and consider what a true list of things you need to do or you would die feeling incomplete if you didn’t accomplish. Now that I am on hospice this is how I am creating my list. What do I want to give, share, or pass along to my family and those I care about.