Bucket List

 

“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.” ~ C.S. Lewis

Happy New Month people, welcome to February 2024, week 5 of the year is ending so happy weekend folks.

I was listening to several lectures by Rabbi Moshe Bryski this week and I landed on one he had titled What's On Your Bucket List. Did you watch the 2007 movie Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman? That’s the kind of bucket list I’m talking about.

It is defined as a list of the things that a person would like to do or achieve before they die. Some of the popular bucket list items I’ve seen include getting a tattoo, riding a hot air balloon, and jumping off a cliff. Two of the odd ones I saw were milking a cow and sleeping in an igloo. Well, to each their own.

So the Rabbi started his talk by asking, “If you had only one year to live, what would you want to do before your time was up?” The follow-up question to that was, “Why are you not doing it now?” But I will only tackle the first question today. You should think about both after you read this blog.

I went online and checked out a few posts that had popular bucket list items and it was quite an interesting research. However, I’m sure most of those items would fall away if people knew they only had a limited time to live, and that was the point that the Rabbi was making in his talk. According to him, we need to realize that our lives are short and hence the urgency to leave a lasting legacy should be our focus.

Our goals should therefore be meaningful goals that are geared towards impacting others positively. In a split second, all the 5 items I’d listed at the beginning have gone up in smoke! By this time in the talk, I was captivated. Would he give suggestions of bucket list items I should aspire to? He did, thankfully.

The first one he gave was – to establish a weekly ritual to talk to your parents and grandparents, even if they’re dead. Wow! Many of those still alive are dying lonely because their offspring are too busy to find time to spend with them.

The second one was purpose to spend time with a faith community – a church, a mosque, a synagogue, a temple. Whether it is attending a weekly service or taking part in religious celebrations, he suggested that you spend time being regular with a faith community. Just one year, then take stock of what changes have happened as you engage with people of like faith.

The third one was really interesting – mentor at least one young person. Adopt a young person and guide them along the path of life. Recently a famous pastor was turning 70 and in honor of his birthday, a group of people thought to invite all the men he had trained in his pastoral academy to come over on the celebration Sunday and honor him in person. Hundreds of men turned up and it was an extremely moving event to watch. The big man could not hold back tears as he looked out at the endless line of men waiting to shake his hand, some having traveled hundreds of miles to be there. He had taken time to mentor them in small groups, one on one, one by one. Now, years later, they were an army of hundreds. If you start today, you never know how many you will impact before your time is up.

The fourth bucket list item – set aside time to visit with a lonely senior citizen. That has got to have a great impact on the person visited and some of them could give you wisdom of lasting value if you just listen to them and apply the wisdom they share.

The last suggestion the Rabbi made – make time to know your heritage. Do you know what you believe in? Can you articulate and defend your faith and your beliefs? If you say you are a Christian, have you ever read the entire text of your Bible? Or the religious texts of your faith? It has never been easier than it is now, especially with audiobooks and apps on our phones. Make a goal to know.

What legacy are you leaving? Do your goals have lasting and enduring value? What is on your bucket list? Why are you not doing it now?

Weighty questions – you have your weekend cut out for you.

“Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

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