Today, on my seventieth birthday, I am making my bucket list. However, I first want to write about my attitude towards my bucket list. My attitude is more important than the items on my list.
Kicking the bucket is slang for dying. A bucket list consists of things to do before life ends. It captures goals, dreams and aspirations. It implies that a life is not complete until all is accomplished. But I do not see it this way.
Life is uncertain and the time of our death is unknown and usually unknowable. Crossing items off a list does not delay the inevitable. It seems to me that a bucket list is, to some degree, a denial of death.
At this time I cannot imagine ever viewing my life as complete. I have many projects in progress and ideas for more in my mind. The time may come, as it has for my mother, when I have no motivation left to do much of anything. That is merely existing, not living. So while I am not driven by my bucket list, I have lots that I am interested in doing for many years to come, should I be so lucky.
In recent years I have been influenced by Buddhism. I now try to have no attachment to any of my goals although it would be nice to achieve some of them. The disruption caused by the current pandemic lays bare the foolishness of being attached to goals.
Below is my bucket list, in no particular order. My desire to accomplish items is greater for some than for others. But I am not interested in ranking them. They will happen when they happen, or not. Some items are very unlikely and I will not put much effort into them.
I would like to travel with Pat to places in Mexico - the Copper Canyon, the monarch butterfly sanctuary, Baja California, Guanajuato, Cancun, Querétaro, Morelos…
Travel again to Alberta and Nova Scotia.
Run a 10k in less than my age for as many years as possible, as I did last year, 69 on 69.
Fast for three days.
Go on a silent retreat for three days, although I would consider doing so for up to ten days.
Have three flotation tank experiences, perhaps over the course of one week.
Launch a publication on Medium entitled Unknowings.
Write detailed book reports on several meaningful books that I have read but not found time to write about.
With a group of other like-minded people, write An Agnostic Manifesto.
Funded through the gift economy, buy a monthly page in El Ojo, gather together a group of qualified people to provide content for a Mental Health Matters in Mexico column.
Take a trip on psychedelic drugs, in the presence of highly trusted and experienced users.
Write and publish a book entitled Average and Ordinary - The Life of John Stokdijk. The essence of the book is taking shape on this website, but to produce a good book I would need a skilled editor or a co-writer.
Attend a conference - something along the lines of the The Realisation Festival.
Go for more counselling and learn how to never be triggered by anything. The offerings of 29k appeal to me.
Take a course - Becoming a Live Player offered by Rebel Wisdom appeals to me.
Experience Collective Presencing.
Experience communitas.
Mentor a young person, ideally someone around age thirty-five, someone who genuinely wants to learn from me, particularly about my life experiences.
Be a bridge from Game A to Game B for someone, anyone.
Added 2023-12-05 - A Trip to Toronto to meet some metamodern players.