I’m familiar with the concept of a Bucket List, but whenever I try to think up things to put on my own personal Bucket List, I usually end up stumped. There are some things I might like to do someday, and other things I wouldn’t mind experiencing, but very few possibilities fit the criteria of “I MUST do this before I die.”
There are two reasons I can think of for why I am not able to compose a Bucket List. One is that I am not at all an adventurous person. I don’t long for sky-diving or world travel; my Bucket List is more likely to include a good book I’ve always wanted to read. Boring…right?
The second reason is that I’m a relatively happy person. Except when I go into a funk thinking about nuclear war—which you have to admit is a perfectly normal reaction to the possibility of nuclear war.) I’ve led a relatively blessed and stress-free life, I’m happily married, have two great kids, and enjoy a personal relationship with the God of the Universe. What more could I ask for?
But all this leads to a question: do I not ask for more because I really do not require or desire it, or do I somehow feel it would be unseemly for one who has so much to ask for more? After all, I don’t want to be greedy.
But having said all that, composing Bucket Lists is a perfectly acceptable activity these days, so I’ve decided to join the crowd and give it a go. And here’s what’s precipitated all this:
My 20-something son Joey recently broke up with his girlfriend, and newly-single, he’s entertaining the idea of living in a camper to save money. It’s just him and the dog, and I don’t think he’s accumulated a tremendous amount of possessions (some guitars and speakers, gaming system, TV…), so this is an idea that seems to make sense, since a buddy will let him park the camper in his oversized yard in a semi-rural area of central Florida. Joey’s still getting his ducks in a row and looking for the right camper, and he’s shown me a few on Craigslist that might fit the bill.
Now that I know where to go on Craigslist to see campers, I look almost every day, and I have to admit that what I see sparks my interest. There’s something so appealing about trimming down to the bare minimum, letting go of all the excess baggage. What is important? What is merely frivolous? What is frivolous…yet important? I think you would find out pretty fast, living in a camper.
Not only that, but the mobility! Imagine being able to travel all over, if you wanted to, seeing the entire country. Following the seasons, the attractions, following festivals or sports teams, going wherever your whims might take you.
So I’m putting this one on my Bucket List. Not only because the idea appeals to me now, but because it takes me back to when I was a teenager and had a dream of traveling the country living out of a VW van. I never did that, and truth be told, I never would want to do that now. Not a van! But maybe a well-equipped Airstream…?
I don’t know how long I would want to do this. I don’t see that it would become a permanent way of life. It would be just one adventure to be had…by someone who is otherwise not really so interested in adventures. Maybe a month would be enough before I would be ready to “return to reality.” Maybe a year. Maybe longer?
There is one issue though about this being on my Bucket List. I’ve talked with Russ several times about possibly doing something like this in our retirement, and it’s clear this is NOT on his Bucket List, not even close! He might be willing to do this with me, for a short time. But I doubt I could get him to make a bigger commitment than a month or so. But a month might be long enough to get this out of my system…and crossed off my Bucket List!
