When we would drive to visit my grandparents we would beg our daddy to sing the song "There's a Hole in the Bucket." You know the one....there's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza. Well, mend it dear Henry. With what shall I fix it?...the conversation going back and forth until finally the wife tells Henry to fetch the water needed in the bucket to which Henry replies, "But there's a hole in the bucket, dear Liza!"
http://www.nursery-rhymes-collection.com/lyrics_theres_a_hole_in_my_bucket.html
Anyway, every once in a while it comes up..."what's on your bucket list?" I have never seen the movie, but I know it means what do you want to do before you kick the bucket. Just today I came across a blog post called "list of dreams" where the blogger actually made a list of 100 things she wanted to do (though she only posted 5, but I like the fact that it ran the gamut of something big like drinking expresso on a sidewalk café in Paris to something small like baking a yellow cake from scratch). I occasionally have tried to make a bucket list, but don't get far. Is it because I'm lazy or because I'm uninspired or because I already have what I want ... I guess my bucket has a hole in it. Nothing's in it.
So let's try this again.
Do I want to travel anywhere? Not really. I am a homebody.
I'm mildly interested in seeing Mt. Rushmore but it's in the middle of nowhere so why would I bother to go there? (see I'm lazy)
Anywhere else? Well, the only other thing I can think of is maybe a few genealogy related trips. That would put me mostly in New York, which I find intimidating (but I used to live there...and was actually born there, and yet going to Brooklyn and Long Island seems ehausting and scary). Maybe I would want a little time in Ohio and then I would need a South and North Carolina trip. Can I actually see me doing it? No.
Maybe by deciding if an item would actually be doable isn't what I'm supposed to do when making a bucket list. So, maybe a genealogy trip should be on the list, but I can't get past the fact that my budget and energy and fears limit me.
What experiences do I want? Sky diving, bungee jumping, and the like? No way. I'm afraid of heights and now that I'm a mother I don't believe in participating in anything more dangerous than chauffering my kids around.
I used to want to learn to fly an airplane. I thought that'd be really cool. Now, not so much. I find the idea exhausting? not worth the effort? just not as exciting?
Do I want to meet anybody famous? No. I would say some Church leaders, but 1) I don't want to waste their time and 2) I would be afraid that they could like right through me and see all my faults, so I think I would actually feel uncomfortable (I'm still working on how I'm ever going to face God some day).
I do have a list of books I want to read. Funny, now that I'm trying to list them, none are coming to mind.
And I have wishes that I sometimes work on: improving my piano skills, my Spanish skills, my health. But how do I translate those into bucket-list items? Because I certainly don't want to perform in front of anybody so there's no "playing at Carnegie Hall" on my list.
I do want to serve a mission or two with Glen when we are at the appropriate time in our lives (earliest would be in 8 years when our youngest would leave on his mission...wow, that sounds so close).
OK. I have finally hit upon a real item: serve a mission or two with my husband.
I can list some things I want: a new kitchen floor, new carpeting, a gazelle for exercising, but that's not what you put on a bucket list.
I just want to live a quiet life, taking care of my responsibilities, enjoying my family and friends. What more could I want? Can't think of anything. So, I guess it's OK that my bucket list is essentially empty. I will gladly take the experiences that come and hopefully enjoy them and not worry that I don't have too many ambitions. I will read, occasionally play the piano, and speak to myself in Spanish. And serve some missions with my husband.
The other things I hope for aren't in my power: seeing my kids happily married and raising families (and in these hard economic times I want to add them being employeed to the list).
I'll just enjoy what comes my way.
Beth's Bucket List:
1-serve a mission or two with Glen
2-live a long and healthy life so I can enjoy and serve my family and friends
3-Not worry about what's on my bucket list
