Mary Crisp Jameson - copyright material







Sunday, April 13, 2014

The Bucket List

      The Bucket List is a good movie about two terminally ill men on a road trip with a wish list of things they want to do before “kicking the bucket.” Initially the list is about self-gratification, but it quickly turns into friendship as they mark off the adventures on their list.
     During the trip there are some profound statements. One asks the other two questions:
  1.“Have you found joy in your life?
  2. Has your life brought joy to others?”
     In the end, one said about the other, “The last months of Carter’s life were the best months of mine.”
     I am, thankfully, not terminally ill, and it was not watching the movie that really got me to thinking about making a “bucket list”. It was reading an article written by Travis Plumlee in the Baptist Trumpet about “Little Things Mean A Lot.” His article is not about a “bucket list” or a wish list of things to accomplish for self, rather it is about things we can do every day which are meaningful for others.
     As I think about “Little Things Mean A Lot” while relaxing here in A Friendly Shade, I realize that to be truly remembered, it will be for something we do for others, not something we accomplish for self. That is truly how we will make our lives bring joy to others.
     To quote Travis Plumlee, “Doing little things for someone else in your family is like putting oil in the motor; it just helps things run smoother and keeps the engine going….One thoughtful act, every couple of days, over several years can really add up to be a blessing to the receiver.” He also referenced Ephesians 4:32 “Be ye kind one to another…”
     Maybe there should be a sequel, Bucket List II, made about two terminally ill men who set out to see how many faces they can put a smile on before they “kick the bucket.”
     On second thought, what if we become the main actors and actresses and create our own memorable “bucket list?”


 

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