Sounds Gruesome, But We All Need A Bucket List

Yes, the movie's on again, and I'm watching it for the fourth time. Not because I have a particular fascination for either Morgan Freeman or Jack Nicholson, but because I'm thoroughly convinced that when people reach the age of oh, half a century, they need to have their own personal Bucket Lists.

Life is way too short when you're on the downside of four decades and alarmingly short when you start sledding down the rocky cliff of fifty. I know now that there are some things I will never experience, some for the first time, and some never again. That's just plain sad. I mean, I know that I've been to London twice, but damn, I want to go back. Chances are pretty slim of that. I want to go to Morocco, but I can guarantee that is one place I will probably never get to see.

I've never been to Montana. I've heard the sunsets are purple there, and that is just too tempting. I want to actually fly overseas with one bag and buy everything I need as I go along – from second-hand stores. It's the thrill of the hunt.

I want to see Peru. Mainly because I've already been to Ecuador, and that was eye-opening. But now, I want to see more of the rain forest and because Peru is almost always in my crosswords every single week.

It's not that I've been sheltered. Heavens, I've been blessed enough to have been across the Pond a few times. I've accomplished many of the things that as a child, I wished for myself. For instance, I had always wanted a Land Cruiser, one of the old ones, like in the movie, "Emerald Fire," with Stewart Granger. There was a guy that I met when I was in college that owned one, and it was the absolute coolest thing. He had it painted like a zebra. His name was Chris Christensen, and he built large aquariums for places like Sea World. Well, he was cute enough, with his blue eyes and prematurely gray hair, but it was the vehicle I lusted after. I finally found one, in that wonderful yellow that screams Toyota Land Cruiser, and bought it. Loved it for years, and would still have it – except that the man I was married to didn't, so I left it at the Isuzu dealer and rode away in a new Rodeo. Broke my heart. Didn't take me long to realize I should have kept the vehicle after all, because we were divorced less than eight months later. Now, there's a life lesson.

I always wanted Scottish terriers, too, and rescued my first one over two decades ago. I've had a few over the years now, and still do. I had one in my life that will never be replaced in my heart. I think all dog people have that one dog at one point in their lives, the one that will never be replaced. But, I have some wonderful companions, and wouldn't trade them for the world.

I've been blessed to have had the job of my dreams - working with a newspaper as an artist. I held that position for 27 years, before I had the opportunity to work as a full-time artist. Lord, I sure miss the income and the health benefits, but the time has been invaluable. And, as it is painfully true, you can't buy time at the local department store, so you better wise up and use it to it's fullest extent.

And, I suppose, in closing, that's what we all need to do. We all need to list things that we haven't done, and make plans to do them. Write these things down and dream about them and talk about them and then make them happen. Even if it takes you to the end of your days.