Things to Experience before I turn 30
So... after a grueling three days, I had an evening off.
Of course, I spent all 3 hours watching 20 Years of Oprah.
She really is fabulous.
I watch as she talks about meeting all these people that have shaped her life and who she is... famous people she used to watch and think "I want to be just like that."
And as I think about the "famous" people who have shaped who I am... Oprah herself is really the only "famous" person that comes to mind.
I mean, she has shaped how I look at my body, my marriage, my child rearing, my nation, my religion... the list goes on.
It's not that I agree with her on 100% of the issues she talks about, but she always causes me to think about things in a way that I never would have thought about them before.
She has changed so many lives. It's an amazing thing.
So that's it. That's my "Ode to Oprah."
Moving on....
I have decided to begin to compile a list.
You see, I will be 24 in about 6 weeks, and I realize that my life is quickly passing me by. It is, at best, 1/3 over.
That's right, it is quite possible that 1/3 of my life has come and gone.
And I am struck with how quickly it has passed...and how much I have left to do.
So I'm compiling a list of "Things to do before I turn 30."
I started to think of things I would like to do before I die. But I can't really wrap my mind around that thought. I mean, I really can't even begin to list all that I want to experience before I pass into the next life.
Another reason that I don't want to make it a "Life List" is because I am a deadline person. I NEED a time frame in which to accomplish things, and quite frankly, I work better under pressure.
So 30 - that I can do.
I have 6 years.
Six years to accomplish so much.
So I am restricting this list. I am making rules and guidelines by which I must follow as I create this massive to-do list.
First, this is not a "6 Year Plan." What I mean is this: it cannot contain things like "Have two more children" or "Get a good job" or "Live in a larger house." These are things that I would strive to do with or without a list. What I mean is that even without "planning" to do these things, these are things I think I will strive for naturally.
No, this list is for things that I might "forget" to do as time passes.
I hear so many older people say, "I always wanted to so-and-so" or "I never did go to such-and-such a place."
These are things that they have always wanted to do, but never made priorities out of them and therefore never accomplished them.
So the things I am planning for must be:
1. Something that will enhance my life or the lives of those around me.
2. Something that takes at least a little out-of-the-ordinary effort to accomplish (Things like, "Love my family" don't count because they are too easy and come naturally.)
The things will not be numbered because I don't want to add any kind of quantitative value to them. I want them all to come across as equal desires. (And I think it might drive me nuts to do #13 before I do #4, ya know?)
That is my only criteria (for now). This list may take weeks to complete, and as the years go by, things may be added or removed.
I don't want to build up too many expectation because some of the things I am thinking of are down right silly. Some of them may change my life.
I really think I need this list. I need to know that my dreams will not be forgotten, that they are important enough to write down, and that they are important enough to strive for.
So thank you for reading my little life list. Somehow, having you see it helps to validate it for me.
Here is the beginning of my "Things To Experience Before I'm 30" list.
- Meet B's family in England. I want to take a LONG trip with him spend lots of time getting to know his family.
- On aforementioned trip, go with B to see the following: Paris, Pamplona, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Pisa.
- Paint my kitchen red.
- Make it onto AB's Facebook "Favorite Quotes" list (because she has the most awesome quotes EVER on her facebook profile.)
- Learn how to make my grandmother's biscuits.
- Video tape my granddaddy talking about his childhood.
- The same for my grandmother.
- Visit Bishop Kayanja's church and orphanages in Uganda and learn from them.
- Write thank-you notes to all the teachers who influenced my life.
- Lose 100 lbs.
- Run a 10k. (That's 6 miles, I think.)
- Write a children's book based on the song that MM wrote for CJ.
Ok... so that's a start. Let me know if you have any suggestions.