We’ve been kicking around this “bucket list” phrase at our house these past few weeks. Although we all decided that the meaning of “bucket list” hits a little too close to home and we’d like to change it, we haven’t really found a name quite as catchy. Summer Adventure List? Summer Fun List? Not sure.
I think we all try to live a life of no regrets, don’t we? we all say we want to seize the moment, embrace the day, be in the here and now. It’s easy to say, yet harder to do. When you’ve been given a shortened timeline like we have, it becomes harder to say and easier to do. Yet I feel like I always miss an opportunity. The tyranny of the urgent takes over, and before you know it, a season like summer can be gone with only half of the things I’d like to do getting done.
Seasons of Change
In some ways, I think we are especially blessed that we know. We know that this summer won’t look anything like last summer or next summer because of ALS. Because we know, we can slow down and take in these precious moments we have. Without ALS in our lives, we would be doing what we have done every summer before: thinking of some things we want to do, but getting very few (if any) of those things done.
Maybe you aren’t experiencing such a dramatic change of events in your life as we are. Even so, this summer will look different than last year or next year. Children get older, graduate, move off to college, finances change, relationships change, babies are born, marriages happen. That is life. It ebbs and flows and change is inevitable.
Memories Are Forever
Even though life always changes, memories can’t be moved. It’s beautiful where we live. Mountains and rivers, the scenery is breathtaking. Before we lived here, we would take trips to this area. We would take picture after picture, after picture of the scenery. I have been trying to sort through this big box of pictures and get them in albums, and you know, the scenic pictures are nice but most of them haven’t made it into our albums.
The pictures we keep are the ones of people. Smiling, sticky faces posing silly. A daddy hugging his daughter. A moment caught on film. Moments. Memories. These are what stay with us forever.
What’s On Your Bucket List?
It doesn’t need to be fancy. Unless you get inspired by places like Pinterest ! I probably have a few pinned myself. But for now, we just have a list scratched out on our magnetic memo pad on the side of the refrigerator. On paper with snowman and snowflakes I may add! Simple, but it works. If I tried to make it fancy, it would probably take me all summer to do it, and well then, that would kind of defeat the purpose.
Here’s a few of our things:
- Take a road trip
- Go up Mount Washington
- Picnics on Sundays
- Go to a fair
- Hiking
- Get a trampoline
My son threw that last one on there. Ha.
Here’s A Challenge
Make a bucket list. Just do it. Get fancy like this:
Or keep it simple, like this (I’m thinking we should at least upgrade to this!) :
Summer Bucket List from Keeping Life Creative
Write a list. Be intentional. Create those memories.
Are you making a “bucket list” this summer? If you weren’t planning on it, I hope you are inspired. If you got one, what’s on it?
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My name is Stephanie. I am a Wife. Mother. Writer. Dreamer. And a full time caregiver to my terminally ill husband. This is where I share our journey of hope, heartache, everyday miracles and serving One very faithful God.
