The Bucket Drips

I hear people talk about “bucket lists” all of the time.  A “bucket list” is a list of things that people want to do before they die . . . things to do before one “kicks the bucket.”  Never really thought about it much . . . then I read an article about twelve things a person must do before he or she dies.  I was flabbergasted at the list . . . explore the Far East (by private jet, no less), eat a living thing, gamble more than you can afford, float the Grand Canyon, sleep in a tropical rain forest, drive a Ferrari (in Italy), see a sunset from Key West, record a record, climb an active volcano, hug a tree, make front page news, make my children’s life list my own, learn to sail, and many more.  I must be living in a different reality.  These “bucket list” items are out of my realm . . . at least most of them.

Explore the Far East in a private jet . . . shoot, I haven’t explored the town I have lived in for nearly six years yet.  I haven’t seen even an iota of the area of Montana I live in . . . not even in my car.  If they mean “far east” as being Miles City . . . well, I have that covered, though not in a private jet. 

Eat a living thing . . . do a few bugs flying into my mouth while walking, running, or driving with the windows open in the car count?  I like my food cooked . . . not crawling on my plate.

Gamble more than I can afford . . . isn’t that called life?  If you are living, the odds are you are probably gambling more than you can afford.  That is the American Dream.

Float the Grand Canyon . . . I can’t even float the bathtub!

Sleep in a tropical rain forest.  I have lived in Panama for a couple of months, been to Gaum . . . tropical life is not for me.  Too humid, lots of lizards crawling around in the house to kill the bugs.  Besides, I would just like to get a good night’s sleep in my own bed.

Drive a Ferrari in Italy . . . I would be happy to drive one in Montana.  The bigger task is finding one.

A sunset in Key West . . . probably couldn’t beat a sunset in Big Sky Country . . . especially when the sun is setting behind a herd of bull elk in July.

Record a record.  That one made me laugh.  There are laws against noise pollution . . . ask any member of a church I have served as a minister and they will tell you . . .

Climb an active volcano.  Well, I guess I am as close to doing that as I can be without leaving home.  Those of us on the edges of the Yellowstone ecosystem know that we are basically living on top of a huge volcano . . . a huge volcano that if it were to erupt would send us all to the great beyond. 

Hug a tree.  I have probably hugged more than my fair share of trees growing up . . . probably not for reasons I would want people to know.  Usually had something to do with the “spirit” moving through me . . . liquid spirit that is.

Make front page news . . . not really something that one wants to do as a minister.  Most the front page news I read usually has to do with things that none of us would ever want anyone else to know.

Learn to sail . . . naw, I will stay on dry land.  I have no inkling to go sailing or to learn to sail.  Sounds expensive . . . besides, I do not look good dress in white.  I am more of a grayish sort of guy.

Making my children’s life list my list.  Yeah, get real.  I want to live, not die.

I never really gave much thought about things I wanted to do before I died.  Oh sure, there are a few dreams that I had.  I wanted to hike the Appalachian Trial.  The Appalachian Trail always fascinated me . . . the great outdoors fascinated me . . . but, I live in Montana.  Montana’s beauty rivals that of the Appalachian Trail and I haven’t even scratched the surface of what is around me.  But I would be lying if I did not admit that the Appalachian Trail still hangs out in my rock garden.  I’d love to go to Ireland, but I am happy in any Irish pub no matter where it might be.  Always wanted to run the Boston Marathon, but now I am satisfied if I can walk around the block.  I never considered any of these things as being a part of a “bucket list” that I needed to accomplished before I died . . . probably because most of them would kill me in the first place.  I have never really developed a “bucket list” . . . and, if I used these suggestions in the article I read . . . well, my bucket would probably have more than a few leaks!

As I have gotten older I have to admit that there are things I think about that I hope I accomplish before I die.  Not so much a “bucket list”, but a few things I hope happen before I “kick the bucket”.  They are nothing spectacular, but important to me none the less.

I hope to see my grandchildren grow up and start their own families.  That is probably my greatest desire . . . to grow with my grandchildren.  Right now there is the one granddaughter . . . coolest little person I know; but, she will soon be joined with a sister in a couple of weeks.  If this new grandchild is half as cool as the first . . . well, I will be tickled to death.  I cannot wait to meet the future grandchildren . . . it just seems that some of my children need to get down to business.  But, I am a fairly patient person . . . I can wait.  I just want them to know . . . the clock is ticking!  That is my greatest desire to accomplish before I die . . . that I have the opportunity to love my grandchildren . . . and, that they love me.

Another thing that I think about accomplishing before I die is to write a book.  Over the years I have been encouraged by others to write a book, but I haven’t written one yet.  Actually, I have.  After more than thirty years of ministry with a weekly sermon . . . I have written a book.  After more than thirty years of writing a weekly newsletter column . . . I have written a book.  After nearly three years of writing a blog ten times a month . . . I have written a book.  Throw in there countless  dapples at short stories, letters to the editor, and just musings . . . I have written a book.  The problem is that I need just need to sit down, organize all the stuff I have written, and make it into a book.  I could do it, but the problem I have with that is that I would need to rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite again to please some editor before it would ever get published.  Sounds like a lot of work . . . so, in the meantime, I contemplate the idea.  Hopefully I have a few more years!

Probably the last thing I want to do . . . well, it is simple.  I want to live . . . I want to live for as long as I can.  Plain and simple.  Both my parents died younger than they should have and I want to live longer.  Don’t we all?

I guess it is okay to have a “bucket list” . . . a list of things we all hope to accomplish before we die; but, I have never given it much thought.  I often think of how blessed I am to live the life I live.  I have a wonderful family that I enjoy for the most part . . . I live in a beautiful place that constantly gives me opportunities to stand in awe at God’s magnificence tough . . . I have a wife that loves me . . . a granddaughter that adores me . . . dogs that welcome me . . . a computer that allows me to write . . . a church I enjoy serving . . . and, each day an opportunity for blessing.  Taking care of that is more than fulfilling . . . so, who needs a “bucket list”.  It is in the moment that the blessing is held.  Why would I need more than I already have?