Snark & Sensibility

Bucket Lists. The first time I heard this term was in the movie of the same name, starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Merriam-Webster defines it as a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying. In fact, the first known use of the word was in 2006, and its etymology comes from the phrase, kick the bucket, a euphemism for you know what.

Dying? Not for me. A bucket list should be a list for those who want to live. Retirees who find themselves free from the constraints of working five days a week and taking care of a family when they’re not working, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I propose that we redefine the bucket list as a list of things we’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t because of the lack of time.

Now that I’m retired, I have a bucket list. Most items involve travel. I’ve checked off a trip to Israel, but I still have four states to visit in the US and a host of countries to visit. I can’t wait for the next thing on my list, whether it’s running a 5K or ziplining or going on a short-term mission trip or writing a bestseller.

Some might say that bucket lists are a feature of a self-absorbed society. And certainly, any good thing can be sullied. Fire that warms burns. Water that quenches drowns. But living without a list of goals can be self-absorbing as well. For me, it’s all about God. If I keep my eyes on him, I keep my eyes off myself, but if my eyes refuse to acknowledge him, I wallow in self-absorption. That’s just me, though.

I always write a book about my latest item from the list while it’s still fresh on my mind. My Israel book, which will be out in March, is a romantic suspense novel about a tourist who gets the wrong suitcase at the airport and spends her short time in Israel being chased and harassed by some unknown person who thinks she’s stolen something of his. No, that didn’t happen to me, although I got a nasty case of the flu while I was there.

Bucket lists need to be memorialized. If you’re not a writer, consider taking pictures—really good ones and keep a separate scrapbook for each. Or memorialize your experience in a journal. Or invite guests over for a meal featuring the country’s (or state’s) food.

Bucket lists broaden our experience and keep our minds and limbs working. They create a curiosity for life and prevent our worlds from becoming small and provincial.

Bucket lists cost money, you say? They don’t have to. It costs little to run an extra mile, drive to take a picture of a lighthouse or volunteer at a soup kitchen.

So how to proceed. Dream big and make a list. Reorder the list so it fits your budget and situation. Work on the first item on your list and check it off when completed. Revisit your list because it’s not written in stone; it’s written in your hand, which means it can change. But never say never. You’re never too old to start.

ABOUT SHERRI STEWART

Sherri Stewart loves a good suspense novel, sprinkled with romance and a strong message that challenges her faith. She spends her working hours with books—either editing others’ manuscripts or writing her own. Sherri loves traveling to potential settings for future stories. Israel was her last big trip. Sherri lives in the Orlando area with her family and lazy dog, Lily. She loves to chat with readers about their ideas. Contact her at www.stewartwriting.com.

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Books by Sherri Stewart

Come Out of Hiding

A Well-Founded Fear of Death

Stranded with Pearls

Très Chic

Inn Danger

Last Chance Island

The Good Little Nurse

Call Me Jane

Rag Doll

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Sleeping through Christmas

ABOUT IN HER FOOTSTEPS

Many women have made significant contributions to the medical field. One such person is Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. In the late 1840s, inspired by the dying words of a friend who urged herto become a doctor, Elizabeth started her education at Geneva Medical College. What she didn’t know was that the only reason she was admitted to Geneva was because the first-year class was polled and voted yes as a joke. But when she showed up, the joke was on them.

It’s ten years after Dr. Blackwell graduated from Geneva College, and now Daniela Burke longs to attend the same school with her boyfriend, Ryan. But Geneva hasn’t admitted another female since Dr. Blackwell. As Daniela sees it, the only way to realize her dream of becoming a doctor is to disguise herself as a male in order to attend the college. Will she be able to maintain her ruse for three years? How will her disguise affect her relationship with Ryan?

http://amzn.com/1791590802