The “kick the bucket” list
Posted by stanley on May 20th, 2008
Yesterday evening I watched The Bucket List, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
The movie is about two very ill elderly men who share the same hospital room and both find out that they only have a short time left to live. The bad news stirs the two men into action and together they decide to live out their unfulfilled dreams.
Their “bucket list” – the list of things they want to do before they “kick the bucket” - includes a few adventurous activities like skydiving and visiting Chomolangma (also known as Mount Everest to most westerners).
In the end their fun-filled adventures not only allow them to enjoy the last bit of their lives to the full, but also help them to remember what the most important things in life are.
I related to the movie in many different ways - I don’t know when I will one day “kick the bucket”, but I can say that I have been working towards fulfilling my dreams.
Having come to China, to teach English and travel (and ultimately live), has been a great occasion in my life – regularly I remind myself how truly blessed I am to be able to live my dream.
Of course I wasn’t always “living my dream”, but my dreams and hopes has sustained me through out my life. I love sayings like “If you can dream it, you can do it” and “Anything is possible”. Like Morgan Freeman’s character in The Bucket List, I believe faith will get me there.
We all have, or should have, dreams we hope to realize one day – and while we are alive we have to keep on dreaming. At the same time, if we are really lucky, we will also find out what the things are that are really important in life.
So, do you have a “bucket list”? What are some of those “unattainable” dreams you are trying to realize?
One of mine is to learn Mandarin Chinese. With faith I believe anything is possible.
I have just decided that it is time to hit my books again for the next hour or so - it is study time!