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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Bucket Lists

A bucket list is made up of those things one wants to do before dying. It's not in an order of importance or when but just thrown together. There are two (maybe more but two that came to mind) ways to look at a bucket list.

For assorted reasons, one thinking it'd be too sad for where I was currently, I had put off watching the film, The Bucket List. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two old men who come together in a hospital and each receive the news that they do not have long to live. They find friendship and go on one last quest around the world to fulfill some of the dreams they had put off. I recommend the film as being enjoyable, funny, and insightful.

Professor at Carnegie University, Doctor Randy Pausch, at 47, died this week-end. He was the teacher (and so many other things) who recorded The Last Lecture video when he knew he only had a short time to live. He did this to leave behind what he had learned for his young children but also for others. The popularity of his video led to an appearance on Oprah, a book, and millions of people being exposed to his ideas. If you have yet to see the video of his lecture, it's worth your time: Randy Pausch's Home Page.

So basically this week-end serendipitously reminded me of two ways to look at a bucket list. One would be like the film where you would think of all the things you have not done and would like to do, some of them might be emotional. The second is what Randy Pausch did where you put down all you have learned through possibly your life story, the wisdom, and lessons you have learned leaving that behind for others to find when they need it.

Thinking about all this, I naturally asked myself what might be on my bucket lists. Where it comes to things to do, I don't think there is anything. Sure there are activities I'd yet enjoy and perhaps some things I might do if I was younger or they were possible; but if I die today, I will feel good about the things I have had in my life. My dreams weren't big ones, and I did what I wanted as I went along. The things that weren't possible, I consider part of my life lessons.

The second type of bucket list, I think that's one of the things a blog can be. We write our ideas, share our lives, what we see, what we think, and it is left behind for as long as the blog exists. Personally I don't believe we are through learning those lessons until the day we die which is the other good thing about a blog. It's an organic way of interchanging accumulated wisdoms with many people.

One of the things I believe was beautifully expressed in The Bucket List and in a song that played while the credits were rolling. I went looking to see if it was on YouTube. To me, this song expresses a life philosophy that I try to follow and one for my blog's bucket list-- Say - John Mayer..

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Life is a dream" - Calderon De La Barca

Sylvia K said...

You always say it just right and beautifully! Great post!

Sylvia

marion said...

Rain, I so enjoyed your post today. On reflection: I have been trying and trying to figure out what I want my blog to be about. ("Why am I blogging?" "What do I want to blog about?")
Is it to be a "little First Amendment Machine" as Ronni Barrett is promoting in her blog today. (And some days I do!) Or is about your idea of using it as a Bucket List: "...where you put down all you have learned through possibly your life story, the wisdom, and lessons you have learned leaving that behind for others to find when they need it."
Somehow, I think I want to combine the two concepts. But words do not come easily to me. (Must be my Mecury in Pisces in the 12th House)
So often I find what I want to "say" ...is best said in pictures/song (Thank you YouTube).
I even went to Google and found the words (lyrics) to John Mayer's song "Say".)...to ~~see~~ what he really said!(See Below))
Thank you for your great post (as always!)
And The Beat Goes On.

Say Lyrics - John Mayer (The Bucket List Soundtrack)

Take out of your wasted honor
Every little best frustration
Take out all your so called problems
Better put them in quotations

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say

Walkin like a one man army
Fightin with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead
If you could only

Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say
Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for getting older
You better know that in the end its better to say to much
Than to never to say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open
Why?
Say what you need to say ……………

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Wonderful post, Rain...I agree with you about the film and about those two possible lists, too. Like you, I feel like there might be some trips to places and things like that...but, otherwise, I feel there isn't anything I need to do....
I loved the idea of The Bucket List and I happen to love both those actors too, so the whole thing was a very satisfying experience...Funny and very touching and as you said, it had a lot to say.

I am so glad that your commenter Marion wrote out the lyrics to the song--I find I do not understand most lyrics today and it's not my hearing...lol...
I think just being oneself and following your heart you can't go too wrong....I like the idea of your blog being your Bucket List in the same way as Randy Pausch expressed his life lessons.

Darlene said...

I loved the movie and want to watch it again. I don't have anything on my bucket list, but if I were physically able I would still be traveling. There is so much in the world to see and so many other places I wanted to go.

I have written my memoirs and my life story so there isn't any more that I need to say. I tell my family how much they mean to me at every opportunity, so I guess I have said it all.

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

Marion, Thanks for the lyrics because I couldn't catch all of what was said.

Mary Lou said...

I watched his original OPRAH show and was enthralled with him. I also just watched Primetime which was his last. He was a remarkable man. I liked the way he said the lecture was not for the listeners...it was for his kids. What a wonderful thing to leave.

Anonymous said...

Ray and I watched the movie about a month ago. I thought it was excellent and a great life lesson, but I also felt it was a bit of a "downer" and maybe that was my fault. For SOME reason, I thought this was going to be more of a comedy and while there were humorous parts, it was far from comedy.
Love the song too.
Terri
http://www.islandwriter.net