A BUCKET LIST?

So I was sitting in my favorite chair up in the bedroom, thinking about miscellaneous odds and ends, when I was suddenly interrupted by a thought that demanded attention. I don't know the source nor do I know why it occurred to me other than the thoughts I've been having lately about the span of a lifetime. Of course, as a minister I have officiated at more funerals and memorial services than I can count. And they have all been decidedly different--young, middle-aged, elderly--sadly, even infants.

The span of lifetimes are determined by so many factors that it is impossible to say what each of ours would be, other than as marked as we progress along the various stages of our life's journey...childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle-age, senior. Now before this turns into some kind of requiem, I want to make the main point that was going on in my mind. I wasn't having maudlin thoughts about death and dying; rather I was thinking about what those who have gone before us might say to us if they could about the living of these days. 

I think that the first thing they would say would be, "It's all going to be okay. Don't worry about anything. You are being watched over by loving spirits who will see to it that you will always be all right, here and beyond."

Then I think they would tell us that our lives on this earth are purposeful no matter what the duration or circumstance. It's just that we can't see the Big Picture from where we stand now. But the most important thing is to realize that we are worthy to get as much joy and experience as much peace as we will allow ourselves.

That being said, their encouragement might be:

Without any sense of self-imposed guilt...

• Now is the time to enjoy some really great music
• Now is the time to enjoy the company of those you love
• Now is the time to do something fun and creative with your life.
• Now is the time to sit with an afternoon cup of tea and read some poetry
• Now is the time to stop putting yourself down
• Now is the time to fully appreciate what you have
• Now is the time to allow yourself to feel the joy of being alive.
• Now is the time to... (you fill in the rest)