Now, with the big 3 O looming ahead of me, I have got to thinking about life experiences. There’s no doubt that it’s better to burn out than fade away. Use up the breath allotted to you doing stuff, experiencing the things which comprise life; rather than just blamelessly, joylessly doing what keeps your heart beating (eating, sleeping, working) and then be washed away from the earth as easily as a speck of dust.
I’m not talking about fame, that’s a very narrow gauge of a life lived. (I don’t know of any famous Eskimos, does that mean no Eskimos lived life to the fullest?)
I admire people who go out and DO. Of course the moment you’re a do-er, there are things which you do wrong, people you upset. You change the course of some events, which in retrospect, might have been better left undisturbed. But that’s a small price to pay for making every breath count I think.
I’m ashamed to admit I fall into the blamelessly eating, sleeping, working category of person. But I could try to change perhaps. Say I did change (…say), what would my bucket list be to make up for nearly 3 decades of inertness?
Bucket List
1) Look like I did when I was 21. (Maybe I could aim to be a little better dressed than I did in university. Tutoring brats doesn’t get you a great wardrobe.)
2) Travel !
3) Publish my novel.
4) Er…write it first.
5) Quit soul-killing life sucking job.
6) Find alternate source of income. (preferably not soul killing or life sucking)
7) Smile more at people.
8) Not care if they don’t smile back.
9) Buy little, thoughtful gifts for friends and family (especially husband who’s always getting me thoughtful things). Make sure they get it, i.e, doesn’t go the way of some of the gifts I’ve bought in the past…given away to other people, used by self, lost or thrown away on deciding its hideous.
10) Buy little but well-appointed hut by the sea: (my friend Hillary has promised to visit) and live bohemian life. (9 and 10 hinges on point 6)
11) Be happy! (hinges on 1, 2, 3, 5 most definitely, 8 and 10)
Will let you know in 40 years how many of those I managed to cross off.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
12 comments:
4 and 3 - in that particular order - could make 6 happen, as long as you can risk 5. The rest fall in line.
Otherwise, there's always Sharekhan to fall back on.
Good to see you writing again. :)
A big hi fi for this one!! :) Let's catch up and make the list longer!! :)
Oh! your "hut by the sea" is so inviting!!! i just cant stop visualising it.. and I just watched something's gotta give and Diane Keaton is a playwright and she has a house by the beach too... :) i guess you'll look like her when you grow old... :)
it was lovely!
and i am coming to the hut on the beach.
and for myself, i plan a house and a cafe in the hills
Relax people, I'll be the first one to be hitting the big 3 O. Will let you know how it goes...
#10 would definitely lead to almost all the others! (save for #2, as why go anywhere else??)
#10 would definitely lead to most of the others! (except #2, as why would you want to go anywhere else once you had a little spot like that to yourself)
Oops I didn't mean to comment twice - I thought the first time didn't go through so tried it again!
I see the hut on the beach has caught everyone's attention. Will call all of you over if I manage to cross that off the list!Make a bucket list party of it.
Hai, which hills? Can I come and visit? Only if it isn't Ooty.
db and Lara, you both have valid points. Will concentrate on the ones you mentioned. :)
Rashmi, do let us know how it goes. ;)
Do let me know if you're eyeing real estate in Goa (and I can strongly recommend the south) - I might have a few contacts.
:)
hello shashi darling! 3 and 4 deffo most imp on list - and totally doable for you! ;-) shaun has been planning on how to make our million so that we can actually do what we want to do everyday - sit around, read, drink tea and coffee, and philosophise on the world. i told him, if he's found an answer to this, he's probably guaranteed a million straightaway, just by selling his book on it!
can we know a bit more about that novel?!?
Post a Comment