It occurred to me the other day that from a very young age, most of us make a bucket list, or a wish list.
Those are the things we want to learn, or do, before passing on from this world to whatever it is awaiting us on the other side.
Some things are fairly common, such as learning a new language, travelling to a far off land, or picking up a new activity that we always thought looked interesting and cool to do.
So, I thought about my own bucket list and what things I’ve crossed off so far, and the remaining items that I still really want to do one day.
Probably the most recent item I was able to cross off, was buying a kilt, and the rest of the outfit. The kilt was something I had on my list for many years, decades even, as a way to celebrate my Scottish heritage.
First off, let me tell you, they are bloody expensive to get a proper kilt outfit made.
Also, for whatever reason in my head, it was important to me to have it done in Scotland, the land of my ancestors. I’m not really sure why this was so important to be honest, just that it was.
Several years ago, I learned to scuba dive, something I had always dreamed about, but living in a land-locked province can be somewhat of a challenge.
Looking back, I really wish I hadn’t waited until I was in my 40s to learn this activity. It truly is my happy place when I’m under water and by not doing this until later in life, I deprived myself of the opportunity to do even more beneath the waves.
There are still a good number of items on my list too, mostly involving travel.
Really high on the list of places I still want to visit is French Polynesia in the South Pacific, especially Tahiti and Bora Bora. Fiji is well up the list too, as is New Zealand and Australia.
I’m reasonably sure I’ll be able to accomplish a few of the places while I’m still able to travel and enjoy the sights and sounds, and the food, of these lands.
I guess, for me, it’s important because I remember my grandparents wanting to do a lot of travelling when they retired, but life happened and due to health issues, they were pretty much stuck not going anywhere far at all.
It’s often said that when the end comes, you’ll regret not doing those things you wanted more than doing the things you did.
So, I guess the whole purpose of writing this is to say, go ahead and plan that trip, learn that language, pick up that new hobby. Don’t regret not doing those things you’ve always wanted to do.
Warren Affleck is a news anchor and reporter at 102.1 CJCY.
