I just watched the movie, The Bucket List. Starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, the Bucket List had potential to be, shall we say, cliche. Many movies have been made about what people would do if they knew they only had a few months to live. The Bucket List does not shy away from the typically extravagant list of items these two gents plan on ticking off before they kick the bucket. It helps that one of them happens to run a billion dollar business. But underneath it all, the film presents some incredible insights and reminders.
At one point, the two men are talking about what one has to do to get into heaven. Freeman’s character turns to the other and asks two questions: Have you found joy in your life? Has your life brought joy to others? Profound questions indeed. Deeper themes and thoughts emerge throughout the film, but leave you little time to think about them. I suppose my urge to write about it now is making up for that.
I wrote a Bucket List last year, though I called it, and much prefer to call it, a Life List. Rereading it just now, I find it interesting to see I am a long way off from accomplishing certain things. Certain items on my list have a precursor (being a mom), others I simply don’t want to have to deal with (like getting over my fear of hospitals). Some of them have question marks because I really am not sure if it’s something I want. I also find that I look at the list and I can think of ten more things I want to add. There’s no harm in that, but it does change the priority.
I suppose something that irks me a bit with the concept of a Life List its inherent danger of disappointment. A list should not be made up out of discontentment. Thoughts of achieving things in the future will not bring joy today.
So, have you found joy in your life? If not, work on what needs to be changed in the present before writing your Life List. And read your Life List when you need that subtle reminder of what your loftier goals are. Dreaming big is important – but so is living big.
© Meghan J. Ward, 2008
