Bucket List | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Bucket List | Previous Challenge Entry
By Cindy Gerdes
08/07/13
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Long before the movie “The Bucket List” came out I had my list of 50 things I wanted to do before I die. The idea came to me on my 40th birthday when I realized I would only have 30 or so good years to accomplish my dreams. Besides my goal of becoming a pediatric registered nurse, I had not really thought about what I would like to do in life outside of my career.

At first the list was easy to write. I knew right away I wanted to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef; learn how to drive a Nascar race car; revisit Italy, Spain and Switzerland; go parasailing, and the list went on. At about 30 items on my list I got stuck. I could not figure out what else I wanted to do or see. As I read through the list again, I realized I was only writing down the physical things I wanted to do in life, but I had not addressed the emotional or spirituals items. As I thought about these two aspects of my list, I knew for sure I wanted to find a partner who I could make happy and who could make me just as fulfilled. So that went on the list.

I also knew I wanted to teach my seven grandchildren the same life’s lessons my grandparents taught me. My grandmothers taught me to sew, crochet, cook, bake, can my own fruit and vegetables and give back to the world around me. My grandfather taught me how to fish, build things, paint houses and take exceptionally good care of my car.

became excited about going through my list and checking things off. I also looked forward to adding more things to the list as I explored my own inner self.

Next I added meet John Elway to my list. Realizing this probably will never ever happen, but I added it because he is my all-time sports hero. He believed in this team (Denver Broncos) and stuck with them until they finally accomplished a Super Bowl win two years in a row. I admire his passion for the game and his faith in his players, himself and God when, at times, it all looked like a lost cause.

My spiritual to-do-list was the hardest part of the list to write. I grew up in a home with a father who did not believe in going to church or for that matter I do not think he even believed in God. My mother, on the other hand, believed in God and would take me to church whenever she could. I attended church more with my friends and their families than I did my own. Growing up I attended several different denominational churches. By the time I became an adult I was so confused about what to believe I stopped attending any church. I knew I believed in God and when I needed to talk with Him, He would always be there for me.

About the same time I started writing my list I started a nursing master’s program. One of my assignments was to write a paper about a religion I knew nothing about, so I wrote it on Taoism. Writing the paper gave me a whole new perspective on my spiritual self. I came to the conclusion the earth is God’s church. He made it for me to worship in 24/7 and that is what I have done every day since writing the paper. On my list I simply then wrote – Stay true to what I believe is how my God intended for me to worship Him. Do not get caught up in being forced back into a church with four walls where someone else will tell me what I should believe and how to praise Him.

My bucket list was meant for me to take stock in myself and the world around me. By writing my list down on paper it makes the items more real. It also gives me something to remind me I am still among the living and should keep checking things off the list right up until the day I expire.

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