In 2007 Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman starred in a movie, which popularized the term, “The Bucket List”. They played two terminally ill men who decided to escape from the hospital and live the experiences they had always dreamed of before they “kicked the bucket”. There is some debate as to when the term “bucket list” was first used but most attribute credit to the movie. Regardless, it certainly made the term a part of our normal lexicon.

I think most of us probably have some things we would like to accomplish or places we would like to visit during our lifetime whether or not we refer to them as our bucket list. Without thinking very hard, I know I would like to take an Alaskan Cruise, play a round of golf on the old course at St Andrews, and make more trips to Israel.

But I want to set our bucket lists aside for a few minutes and talk about how we spend our days. As for me, I have decided to withdraw from the bucket list model of thinking about future experiences. Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely do believe we should have goals and dreams, but I don’t believe its beneficial to pine away about experiences we hope to have as if life is not going to be complete without them. You see I believe, for every so called bucket list item I don’t experience before I kick the bucket, there will be many, even better experiences when I get home (yeah, I believe heaven is going be pretty awesome). This way of spending my days frees me from worrying that I have to do it all, and allows me to live today completely. It allows me to be fully present in this day, even if I’m just mowing my grass or having some ice cream with one of my grandbabies. I often tell young parents, “Cherish every day you have with your children”. These precious days pass so quickly; so don’t waste today worrying about what you hope to experience tomorrow. I think this is a good way for all of us to live, whatever stage of life we are in.

I recently read an excerpt from a book called All Things New by one of my favorite authors, John Eldredge. Eldredge included the following quote, which I believe creates a perfect word picture for this state of mind. It is much more poetic prose than I normally enjoy, but I think it is a beautiful description.

I had lain down under the shadow of a great, ancient beech-tree that stood on the edge of the field. As I lay, with my eyes closed, I began to listen to the sound of the leaves overhead. At first, they made sweet inarticulate music alone; but, by-and-by, the sound seemed to begin to take shape, and to be gradually molding itself into words; till, at last, I seemed able to distinguish these, half-dissolved in a little ocean of circumfluent tones: “A great good is coming—is coming—is coming to thee…” (George MacDonald, Phantastes)

We don’t have to kick our bucket lists, but let’s not focus on them so much we forget to enjoy today.