Life is too short
I have seen a few people do the posts about the Bucket Challenge saying what they want to do or accomplish before they die. A lot of the people put things on their list that are the same generic type of things like "travel the world" or "make a lot of money".
The truth is, you don't really know when your time is going to be up, so instead of making a list that you will hopefully be able to have the money to accomplish those things, I suggest that you start living your list now and don't wait for the "perfect" time to start checking those items off. Too many people live for the future and never actually live in the now.
I was nominated by a few people to do this challenged. I think the first person to nominate me was @svkrulze. So here is my list:
Pray with a Buddhist Monk in Thailand
I am not a religious person, but I respect the views and the values that religion teaches to its followers. I have always been fascinated with the devotion that the Buddhist Monks have and the beauty of their temples. I plan on moving to Thailand one day with my wife and I want to find peace in the mountains of Chiang Mai alongside some of the monks.
Create a Movie for the Big Screen
I am already working on this one right now. I have completed my first movie script to be filmed by a real movie crew. It is in the final rewrite/edit phases right now and then I will be sending it off to try and find a producer that will want to make my words come to life.
The story takes place in the Basilica of San Petronio in Italy, so I will be traveling to Italy if it were to be picked up. I was inspired to write the story when I saw this image:
The Inferno by Giovanni da Modena
Return to Africa to Film My Documentary
Many of you saw my documentary War-Torn when I posted it here on Steemit. If you haven't it is a story of a Vietnam Veteran and his struggle with PTSD from the events of the war and how he is overcoming the PTSD and depression.
The next big project, as far as a documentary goes, that I am planning, is to return Africa and spend more time living with the Maasai. I want to document their culture and stories of some of the individual villagers. One of the greatest life changing experiences I have ever had was the time I spent living among the Maasai over this past summer.
Photo taken by me @derangedvisions
Graduate College
To some this may not seem like the hardest thing to do, but for someone that spent the first ten years of his adult life in the military, then spent the next six years in law enforcement, college can be a bit overwhelming.
I have been in school for almost three years now and I am just now fine tuning what I want to be when I grow up. I spent the first bit of my time as a web designer/user experience design major. Then I wanted to do something more photography related, but I got roped into going to the film side of it. So I completed the first two years of film school in two semesters (ya, I was REALLY busy).
Then I decided that I wasn't getting enough time with the camera, so I changed my major for the third time to be a full photography major. I have already taken a lot of the lower division photography courses in the degree plan before I was in the program just because of my love for photography, but now I am starting my core classes in a few weeks, so that should be fun to be out of the cinema program and full time in photography.
Only two-ish years left of school. By the time I am done with school, I will have been in college long enough to be a doctor and will probably have enough credits for it as well. Oh well, I am having a blast learning as much as I can.
See the 7 Wonders of the World
When my kids graduate my wife and I have already made plans to move out of the US and live either in Thailand or the Philippines for a while. During that time we will spend the next few years traveling around the world. I plan on doing a lot of travel photography and making short travel documentaries of our experiences.
Many people say that they want to just travel, but don't really have an idea of what they want to do when they would be traveling. I think it would be awesome to walk along The Great Wall of China during sunset or sleep in the caves in Petra. The world has so many amazing things to discover.
Go to India and Experience the Holi Festival
I love being in other cultures, especially during their celebrations. Every year here in Utah, they do the largest Holi Festival in the US. I was able to go last year, but I missed it this year.
I think it would be such an amazing experience to be part of the real festival and experience is first hand. Everything I have seen about the festival, everyone looks like they are having such a great time and happy. It just looks like it would be a truly unforgettable time.
Photo taken by me @derangedvisions
Go Sky Diving
This may seem like one of those generic bucket list items that a lot of people want to do, but I am scared of heights, so this will be a real challenge for me to do. I have always wanted to see what it felt like to free fall from thousands of feet in the air and then glide down in a parachute. I just wonder if I will actually be able to jump out of the plane or not if I were to get up in the air.
Always be there for my Kids
I don't really have a great relationship with my parents and I never want my kids to have that kind of a relationship with my wife and I. I want to be able to die knowing that If my kids needed something, no matter how old they got, I was there for them.
Walk my Daughter Down the Aisle at her Wedding
I think it is every father's dream to be around to be able to walk their daughter down the aisle on their wedding day. Too bad my daughter is going to have to wait until she is 30 (or later)to get married. Our daughter is our little baby and it will be hard for us to hand her over to someone else to take care of her. That man is going to have to really win my wife and I over if he thinks he is going to take her away from us.
Kiss Our Grand Kids when they are Born
No matter where my wife and I are traveling in the world, if we hear that we have a grand baby on its way out, we will be booking a flight home to be there. You can bet I will be taking some sweet newborn pictures too. My grand babies are going to have so many professional photo shoots done of them.
My wife always makes fun of me when I talk about grand kids and get excited. We still have years until it happens, but when it does, it is going to be so fun.
So there you have it. That is my Kick the Bucket list. It is a lot harder to think of stuff that you want to do before you die that are going to be achievable and not just random wishes.
Just remember that you don't need to put off anything on your bucket list until the time is right. You should already be marking stuff off of your list and living life to its fullest because at the end of your life, it doesn't matter how much money you had in your bank account.
It matters how much life you lived.
- Edit * I forgot to nominate some new people for this challenge when I originally made the post, so I am adding some people. @underground, @faitherz33, @basicstoliving you three need to get on it!
All graphics were made by @derangedvisions
thats pretty cool, i like it and for one of the your challenge i can help you , challenge No.5 The holi festival,i am from India and can guide you in that.... ;-)
@adityajainxds #thealliance
That would be awesome to have someone show us around India when we come visit. Holi looks like an amazing time.
I accidentally came across your article, but I read it with great pleasure. I agree with you, many people just talk and do nothing. Instead of acting, they are planing the "whol life" and forget to take the first step.
I especially like and agree your first 3 points . children are our life and our future. Without lying even with me the children come first and I would do everything for them and always be there for them.
Thank you for this wonderful post.
Greetings from KAribik. mikeCee
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read it. Children are important. They are the footprint that you leave in this world.
Wow this is a great list of things! you truly see life for what it is and what is great and important and I like that about you. Thank you for sharing. I hope to meet more people like you :) Makes for a better world.
Thanks. It has taken me going through a lot of bad things to see all of the good in life, but that is what makes us who we are.
True that. That is why I give people so many chances and hope to help them see things differently. Help open their eyes to a different world around them. That is one of the reasons why I respect you so much. You and your wife see life with true meanings.
I am surrounded by people who are veiled in dishonesty and hate, jealousy and envy. Why not be happy for people and encourage them? Anyways that is a whole other topic and conversation :)
I just want to commend you and your wife for being the people you are ^_^
Well thank you. I really lucked out with my wife. We have been through a lot together, which has made us stronger.
Awesome
Family is really important we did not have any girls so I will not get the opportunity to give her away at the altar .
India and spending some time with the monks sounds interesting .
I am really looking forward to all the different travel adventures we have planned.
I spent 2 yrs in the Congo . Spending some time with the Maasai sounds great . If you could get some of it on film , that would be something special
The Maasai are amazing people. I have a ton of pictures from my trip.
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Lovely List! I hope you get to experience them all :)
Thank you. I haven't heard from you in a while. I really hate this feed system that Steemit has. It is so hard to keep up with people's posts. Your recent work is amazing!
Wow a great list. It's really great that you are already living some of those dreams. I think you will accomplish everything in your list and more before you grow old and wrinkled :)
Thanks. Hopefully I never get wrinkly. I think if you stay really hydrated that will keep you from drying up and getting all wrinkly. I am going bald though and my beard is turning grey, so I am already getting old.
I think I am a few years from that, but my hair has started to thin... so I am following you in the same path to old age :P
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wonderful post, thank you :)
You are welcome. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read it.
Your bucket list is great. I wish you all the luck and determination in crossing every single thing from it. You can do it! 💚
Thanks. I am working hard to make sure that I can accomplish everything on there. There is so much to see in this world and it is worth it to take the time to get out and see it.
That is such a wonderful list and I wish you all the best in achieving each and every one of them
Thank you. I am looking forward to being able to start checking them off my list and as I do, I will add more things to it. Another thing my wife and I want to do is volunteer in orphanages around the world.
That’s very admirable of you both
To be honest, I do not have a "bucket list" I just live day to day and I am trying to build a homestead. I try to keep my PTSD and medical problems under control and not let them get the best of me. I will have to think on this some.
Not a bad philosophy there either. Just make sure you are living each day to it's maximum. If you ever need someone to talk or vent to, you know how to get a hold of me.
You're making me cry over here. lol! But in a good way. This is a wonderful list, and you are a gift. Steem on!
Thanks for stopping by and reading my Kick the Bucket list. I wanted to make sure to include things that I knew were achievable and reasonable. I just saw that you posted yours, so I am going to head on over and check that one out. It is awesome to learn about people's future goals this way.