Do You Have a Bucket List?
I’ve never actually met someone who has a physical list, but maybe you do! The term is more of a metaphor than a to-do list. It’s really about setting life goals and aspirations—a reminder to pursue what matters most to you before, well…you know.
Life Goals vs. Bucket Lists: What’s the Difference?
There’s a subtle but important difference between life goals and bucket lists.
Life goals tend to be long-term aspirations—things like building a family, earning a degree, or living by certain core values. They often reflect societal expectations and personal milestones.
Bucket lists, on the other hand, are more about experiences that bring joy, curiosity, and fulfillment—whether that’s skydiving, learning a language, or reading 100 books. They’re flexible, evolving, and driven more by personal passion than obligation.
Both are essential to a meaningful life—but they serve different purposes.
The Calendar Gets Smaller
The phrase “bucket list” became popular after the 2007 film The Bucket List, where two terminally ill men set off to tick off adventures before they died. It was a great movie. But today, I want to talk about you. And your list.
When you get into your 70s or 80s, you start noticing the calendar feels a little smaller. My parents both lived into their 90s, but not everyone gets that long runway. So, yes, I think it’s healthy to acknowledge your mortality while you still have the spark to do something about it. Of course, ignoring it is always an option—but it does tend to sneak up on you eventually!
A Glimpse at My Bucket List
Here’s a partial glimpse at my own bucket list:
- Learn to play jazz ✔️
- Take up drawing ✔️
- Do yoga every day ✔️
- Read the entire Bible (in progress)
- Write a book (in progress)
Your list might look completely different. Maybe yours includes traveling to Patagonia or learning to juggle. It’s your list.
When the List Gets Personal
For me, some items led to even deeper questions. Like number four—reading the entire Bible—forced me to ask if I believed in God and what I thought about life after death. That wasn’t a small thing to untangle.
I grew up in a devout Catholic family. Church every Sunday. Every Holy Day. We fasted during Lent. My aunt was a nun. We went to parochial school, which, all things considered, was mostly a positive experience. I never heard my father curse—he made it to 95 and still not a single cuss word!
In my twenties, I drifted from church. During my time in the Navy, I had what I’d call a “God experience,” which brought me back. I joined a church, played piano for the services, and found a community.
Then life did what life does. Two failed marriages. Heartache in the church. My faith in God never wavered, but my trust in Christian leadership certainly did. That ship had sailed. Everything that once felt black-and-white now felt—well—complicated.
Then, at 62, I came out as gay. Suddenly, I had to reconcile how to trust a church that told me loving who I am meant eternal damnation.
I’m sharing this not to convert you—or to invite a theological debate—but simply to show how personal and messy our lists and questions can get. And that’s okay. Everyone has to answer their own hard questions.
Make Your List. Hide It in Your Sock Drawer.
So why not make a list? Ten items. Maybe more. Jot it down on paper. Hide it in your sock drawer if that feels right. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s not for anyone but you.
And when you cross something off, take a moment to smile. You did that. Revise the list as you go.
A bucket list isn’t really about death—it’s about the third act of your story. Like in a play, the third act is when all the pieces finally start making sense.
And don’t we all deserve that kind of clarity before the curtain falls?
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