There is a great movie called The Bucket List, featuring 2 of the most decorated actors in Hollywood. If you haven’t watched it, add it to your playlist now.
In that movie, 2 old-age adults are dying due to a teminal disease. So they create a list of things that they would want to do before they part away. Things like visiting the Himalayas, driving a Shelby Mustang, skydiving, getting a tattoo, etc. The list of things that they otherwise kept postponing due to other “practical” things in life.
But now, since they have nothing else to look forward to, they start crossing them one by one. And they embark upon a beautiful & emotional journey.
It was like starting another life before they can end one.
The movie was so inspiring, that I created my own bucket list. And since then I have been recommending the same to others.
The Bucket… What?
But a few years back, in the middle of a conversation, I asked one of my friends:
“Hey, do you have a bucket list?”
He replied:
“No. I don’t. I don’t believe in one”
I was surprised and felt the need to “convince” him of how great it was. And that he was missing on something very important.
But then he continued saying.
“I believe whatever I have done in life, is what I was supposed to do. And anything extra that I do is a bonus.
We already do so much. We work everyday, take care of our families, take care of our bodies, contribute to society. That is commendable enough. Then why postpone the happiness and make it dependent on something that we may/may not do in the future.
Yes, I fancy many things. If I am able to do them, I will be super happy since it’s a bonus. If not, well it doesn’t matter, I won’t regret it”
I was humbled.
Humble Learnings
It didn’t matter which side I adopted, but that day I learnt something.
Only if I keep an open mind, I can be vowed by people and learn in so many ways that I couldn’t even imagine. Yes, it’s a cliche, but it took me some time to experience it.
It doesn’t matter what you believe in, but the ability to give someone a true opportunity to influence you, is in my mind the highest level of skill.