Bucket Lists

I have seen a number of bucket lists on blogs and profiles.  When I started this blog I thought I would make a bucket list too but I haven’t.  I have a few problems with bucket lists.  I’m not sayin’ bucket lists are bad.  Just sayin’ they may not be for me.  

I know, I know.  I've been there twice already but I really want to go again.

Most of the bucket lists I’ve seen make me a little envious.  What makes me jealous is not what’s on the lists but what’s been checked off the lists.  There are a lot of young travel bloggers (and many more just plain travelers) who are going many great places and doing cool things.  I am shocked to see all the places they’ve been and things they’ve done.  Glad it’s not a competition ‘cause I can’t compete, at least not with them.  I’m sure if I published a list of places I’ve been and things I’ve done many people would be jealous.  I have been fortunate to do the things I’ve done.  Competing with other bucket lists is not what I have a problem with though.  

It’s when people talk of crossing off or checking off someplace  or something that bothers me.  I just can’t do that.  

I’ve heard friends come back from a trip and about all they say is “Well, I can cross Italy off my list.”  
“Don’t you want to go there again?”
“Nope, been there, done that.”

Sorry, I'm not crossing Paris off my list either.

Other’s, when planning where to go won’t even think of visiting someplace they’ve already been even if it includes different activities or even just passing through on the way to somewhere else.  

Now I can appreciate having limited time and money for travel and having to be choosy.  With so many places to go why go to someplace you’ve already been?  ‘Cause it’s an awesome place and I love it, that’s why.  

I know every time I visit a place for the second, third, forth... time there is someplace else I would like to go but never will.  But I’m not playing Travel Bingo or Monopoly.  I’m doing what I love to do, visiting incredible places, and enjoying my life (maybe that’s all I need to put on my bucket list).  

But, what really bothers me is all the things I never see on bucket lists.  Things like:

√  Read Dr. Sues to my kids every night.  
√  Take my parents to the Devils Racetrack in Death Valley.  
√  Stay up all night comforting my sick child.  
√  Train a dog (miss you Koa).  
√  Track desert tortoises with my brother.  
√  Take care of a friend’s yard who is sick with cancer.
√  Snuggle with both my kids in one reclining lawn chair watching the night sky       
    for falling stars until we all fall asleep.  
√  ...

This list could go on and on but what’s crazy is I couldn’t have made this list ahead of time.  These things just happen, they’re not planned.  Only after the fact do I usually realize how lucky I am to have done those things.  And things like these are much more important and rewarding than travel and doing the bucket list stuff.