Have you started your New Year’s Resolution list yet? Does your list read the same as everyone else’s? Are you finding things like lose weight, buy a new car, find a better job or drink less on it? If so, ask yourself, a year from now what will you remember, what will truly you have done that impacted your life, your legacy?
I challenge you, instead of creating a resolution list for 2010, how about a working bucket list that accomplishes both? How about making objectives for the next 365 days that give more to your loved ones and friends and community than a ‘what’s in it for me’ list? If you are not sure how to begin or feel you need extra incentive to do so, read on.
I recently heard a story about a man that died in his late 60’s. When a pastor met with his surviving family, he asked a simple question. “Tell me all the wonderful qualitities about your father, what was so good about this man?” The room fell silent. No one uttered a word. All sat deep in thought, trying to draw from their father’s life and from their assorted memories trying to come up with something. Finally the pastor said he needed a list, some sort of response as he did not know this man directly, to help create a eulogy. Finally someone spoke up. “He loved his family dearly.”
The conversation began to flow but it began and ended with that simple thought, family meant a great deal to him. He loved golfing, drinking beer and seeing his family together. His family seldom was together in its entirety even though all lived relatively close to one another. This time they were all there, at the table but it was in his death. There were rifts in this family for years that kept them torn apart. As this story was retold to me, I could not help but wonder if this man knew of what he had not given his family, a legacy filled with adjectives like loving, caring and always supportive. If he had known, would have lived his life differently? The time is past to change this what he could or should have done.
If you are reading this, your time is not, your time is now! Make 2010 the year you begin anew. Start that bucket list for yourself, your resolutions, with this in the forefront of your mind. Make certain your choices are full of qualities you want to be known for, action items that you want to be remembered for when others describe you. Include things on the list that show you can be a risk taker, someone willing to get outside of your comfort zone. An individual who was grateful, prayerful, and faithful is someone dear to this world. Someone who lets their passion and empathetic nature help others makes a difference in our communities. Be certain your list includes opportunities to lend a hand to others in need. Small deeds like working one day at a soup kitchen will give back to you more than your gift to them.
Most of all include things on this bucket list that make you laugh with glee. This will show others your passion for life. People seek out people that are happy and show it as it reflects the spirit of enjoying life! Do you want to be remembered as someone that made others feel good just by being around them? If so, you better start now working on it before you have passed into the light.
I hope my list for 2010 leads to comments at my eulogy like she was someone with a zest for life, who enjoyed and embraced happiness and fulfilled her life’s desires. She tried to make a difference in her own small way and enjoyed the process of living. She made time for those that are dear to her. Yes, she made a difference and we are forever changed by her life….that is her legacy.
A New Year is dawning, turn the page and begin a new chapter in your life. The only one holding you back from change is you. Make this chapter about a time to learn, grow and change for the better. Your list should help you accomplish this, put you on the path to your full potential and to helping others want to reach theirs.
Creating a list is much like making a plan with your list. You will quickly find your transition on focusing on these objectives will affect your circle of friends. You will be not living status quo and others will notice! They will value you even more in their lives and the world at large will benefit from your accomplishments, the example you are creating. Just maybe you working your bucket list for 2010 can motivate others to change and ideally, help eradicate even a small amount of hate, fear and resentment in our world. Maybe it can help promote happiness and doing right by our neighbors.
At the end of the day, at the end of the year 2010, I challenge you to have created a list God could be proud of and that was attained. One by one, cross each item off your list so that it does not become nothing more than empty promises. As you create and accomplish this plan, celebrate and share your success with us all. Make God smile, as he most certainly will, at you, over what you are doing with your life here on earth.
Maybe others that knew you and loved you will be asked one day to help create a eulogy, like the man that died at age 68 on Christmas this year. Are the comments that those that knew you going to be long, memorable and without end? Your plan, your life choices for action items, affects this. My wish for you is that your eulogy, one day in the far distant future, will bring smiles of joy and thanksgiving to others. May the room light up simply by talking about you. In this way, rest assured, your life, your spirit will be alive for always in others and continue to impact those you love and hold dear!
