To get the most out of life, try kicking this bucket list habit
A popular question that’s been making the rounds for more than a decade on social media: “The first time you got on a plane, where did you go?”
For most folks from our often-chilly corner of the Northeast, the answer tends to be Florida.
And I did go to Florida — the second time I got on a plane. On my first trip, though, I traveled to the lovely state of New Jersey.
Interestingly enough, I also departed from the lovely state of New Jersey.
This is because, yes, I jumped.
I was 21 and I can still recall the shocked expression on my instructor’s face when we were flying over Lumberton, in the heart of idyllic Burlington County.
“I can’t believe how neat everything looks from the air,” I said, while staring out the windows of our Cessna.
My instructor was temporarily taken aback. “This is your first time in a plane? And you’re jumping?” “Yeah, why?” I asked.
He shook his head and laughed, and that was that. It never came up again.
Apparently, skydiving ranks rather high on most people’s bucket lists. And I was reminded of that last weekend, when I mentioned, during one of my local library appearances, that I would be celebrating my
68th birthday in a couple of weeks.
Almost immediately, people began asking me about my bucket list.
Ouch.
Later that night, on the phone with my friend Olga, I mentioned how uncomfortable those questions made me.
“Just because I’m 68, they ask what I want to do before I kick the bucket!”
Olga suddenly seemed upset. “Kick the bucket? Is that what ‘bucket list’ means?”
“Yes. Things to do before you kick the bucket. What did you think it meant? Things you could do with a bucket of chicken?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” she replied, with a laugh. “I guess I must have known what it meant when people started saying it. I just haven’t thought about it much lately.”
Then, after a pause, she said, “So WHAT is on your bucket list?”
Alas, I don’t think I have one. Although, as a baby boomer, I am rather dependent on lists.
My parents’ generation was a lot less list-oriented. They made lists before going to the grocery store. But that was about it.
I, on the other hand, make lists for everything — except grocery shopping, which is why I went all through May and most of June with no mayonnaise in the house.
I’d get home from the store, trudge up the steps to my front door and suddenly remember: “I forgot the mayonnaise! Again!”
In my experience, though, most baby boomers LOVE making lists.
We make guest lists, things to do lists, office brainstorming lists and things we should (and shouldn’t) talk about on a first date.
Most of us can list our 20 all-time favorite movies and the 10 albums we would have to have on a desert island.
(I’ve never been to a desert island. But, based on this age-old question, I’ve always assumed that they came equipped with stereos and CD players.)
For what I understand, the millennials version of the bucket list is something called The Five Year Plan. Instead of writing down what they want to do before dying, they plot out what they want to do with their lives when they’re just starting out.
In one sample Five Year Plan I saw on the internet, Year Two looked something like this: 1. Obtain your project management certification; 2. Begin saving for a home; 3. Work out 3-4 times a week; 4. Run a 5K race; and 5. Travel to Australia.
That all sounds very sensible. And healthy. And fun. For all of us.
Who doesn’t want to go Australia?
Which brings me to another list: “The 100 Places to See Before You Die.”
There were a couple of books with this and slightly similar titles. And, recently, I came across an amusing sequel from “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings, entitled
“100 Places to See After You Die.”
I haven’t read the first book yet, but there are similar lists all over the web. I looked up a few of them and found, among the must-see sites, the Grand Canyon (never seen it), the Great Wall of China (nope), the Reynisdrangar basalt columns in Iceland…
OK, let’s just forget about that list. I’m sure the Grand Canyon is truly grand, but I really don’t care if I ever see it.
I’ve done quite a bit of traveling through the years. But, before I get too old to leave the house, I’d still like to see Greece, Ireland and, of course, Australia, although from what I understand, a flight from New Jersey to Melbourne takes approximately 23 hours and 45 minutes.
Six-hour flights drive me batty. Could I do 24 hours? I don’t think so. Although…
Hey, I’ve jumped before.