Bucket List

 I've never really thought about a bucket list before.  It's the kind of thing everyone else around me obsessed over for a while, and occasionally, I would join in on the discussion.

I've been in this weird state of transition for the past few months, and as I turn inward to examine myself and what has got me feeling so out of sorts, I've begun to realize that I don't know me as well as I used to.  To remedy this, I've been spending a lot of time on self reflection.  I read about an exercise that suggested writing a bucket list as a way to figure out the things that are important to you, so I gave it a shot.  At first, I found myself with a lot of stereotypical answers.  At one point, I even included running with the bulls.  Then I thought about it....  Like, why in the world would I want to do that?  Aside from the sheer cruelty of the whole thing, I fucking hate running.  I think it should only be reserved for the gravest and most dire of circumstances (and, I don't know about you, but those circumstances definitely won't be my own choosing!)

Anyway, my first draft ended up with all of the things you've ever heard anybody include on their bucket list.  While I don't mean to imply that those things aren't interesting or incredibly or awe-inspiring, it's just that, none of the things on my list were things I felt compelled or drawn to do.  None of them were things I would pay money or make grand sacrifices to realize.  So, I went back to the drawing board and really thought about it.  I thought about what I like to do and what I value  and what inspires me and what I find beauty in, and I think I've got a start.

*Place a prayer into the Wailing Wall
*Volunteer to work with victims of intimate partner violence/sexual assualt
*Attend/participate in a Pro-Choice rally
*Volunteer with hospice unit
*Visit Chichen Itza
*Witness the Northern Lights
*Find and visit the worlds largest library/book store
*Become comfortable enough in my skin to visit a nudist beach
*See the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans
*Perform slam poetry
*Snorkel/scuba dive/swim with sharks
*See untouched/undeveloped coastline
*Visit all 50 states//Have a cup of coffee in every state
*Build a cabin
*Find a way to publish my mother's book
*Learn exponentially more about wood working from my father
*Send my parents on an elaborate and lavish vacation (Ireland, Caribbean)
*Fish in the ocean with my father
*Take Devon to a concert at the Red Rocks
*Adopt an animal at the shelter that is about to be euthanized
*Find and crack open a geode.