by Melody Bowen
When I was a little girl, I loved to write. I doodled in notebooks, penned cutesy notes to my friends, scrawled in dozens of journals. I even loved to make lists -- lists of things I wanted, things I needed, things I'd done or wanted to do. List-making has made its way into my habits as an adult as well, although usually in day planner, not my journal. Until today, that is...
I've spent a lot of time lately thinking about things I hope to accomplish in my lifetime and trying to find ways to make these adventures happen (everything from getting a head-to-toe makeover to living in a new and exciting place). All this contemplation of things not yet accomplished reminded me of a list I started when I was younger, which was a sort of "lifetime to-do list". I don't know what's come of the original, but I thought it might be fun to starting writing it again (perhaps even including some of the things I have accomplished). Maybe putting pen to paper (ok, ok...keyboard to computer screen...whatever) will tickle my sense of adventure out of its somewhat dormant state and get me back on task finding ways to make my life memorable, meaningful, or just a little bit more fun.
So, here goes...
(Including a few items already done but absolutely worth repeating.)
1. Find the perfect color of lipstick, the perfect black stilleto heels, and the perfect little black dress that makes me look fabulous, chic, but not the least bit showy. (STATUS: In progress... always.)
2. Write something meaningful. Get published. (STATUS: Step 1 in progress. Cross your fingers.)
3. Buy a fabulous little two-seater ragtop. (STATUS: Had one in high school, but need one as an adult that doesn't require adding water to the radiator after driving more than five miles.)
4. Learn to play the banjo like Daddy. (STATUS: In progress.)
5. Befriend an enemy. (STATUS: Done. But definitely worth repeating.)
6. Jump from a perfectly good airplane (and live!). (STATUS: Not yet done. Rocco, are you ready?)
7. Ride the 10 best roller coasters in the world. (STATUS: At least four down, maybe six to go...)
8. Forgive a betrayal. (STATUS: Done. Done again. And again. Feels pretty good. Should keep this in mind.)
9. Backpack in another country. (STATUS: Done in England, done in France [I'm now tempted to use the word "underpants"]. Definitely worth repeating. How about Iceland? Spain? Majorca? Greece?)
10. Learn to paraglide. (STATUS: Done. Sort of. Well... "started" is probably more accurate.).
I went to an adventure sports resort in England in 1999 and learned to paraglide (run off the side of a mountain with an elongated parachute -- sort of like hang gliding with a chute). Operative word: "learned". Took the class, climbed the mountain, got ready to suit up & fly... until a sudden weather change grounded me & other would-be gliders. (Must paraglide before I'm too old, too scared, or find myself with such fragile bones that I can't do it without hitting the ground and screeching, "I've fallen, and I can't get up!" like the old woman in the bad '80s infomericial.)
11. Make a positive, lasting, life-changing difference in someone else's life. (STATUS: Unknown. Still pursuing.)
12. Be a true friend. (STATUS: In progress, but should continually strive to get better at this.)
13. Perform on stage. (STATUS: Done. Need to do it again.)
14. See a live volcano. (STATUS: Not done. How about Hawaii?)
15. Get that ever-elusive master's degree. (STATUS: Ugh. A must-do before I'm 40.)
16. Love unconditionally. (STATUS: In progress... for a handful of the people in my life.)
17. Stash six months of salary. (STATUS: Oy. No comment. Well, one comment: Ttttppppptththhhh.)
18. Find a bathing suit that doesn't make me feel like a yetti. (STATUS: Again, tttppppppthhhh.)
19. Get a fan-freakin-tastic kiss that makes me tingle down to my toes. (STATUS: Umm... don't kiss and tell.)
20. Quit smoking. (STATUS: The time is now, I fear. This is a must-do.)
21. Keep finding adventure, the kind that makes my stomach flip in that oh-so-wonderful way.
(STATUS: Get busy. Now!)
Note to self: What are you waiting for? Get busy!