On Bucket Lists, the Meaning of Contentment, and Daydreaming

 

This is a portion of what was a knit and crochet projects list
I, at one point, wanted to work through. Epic fail.

I recently watched the Rob Reiner-directed movie Bucket List. Released in late 2007/early 2008, it focuses on two cancer patients (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) and their adventures attempting to cross off experiences on a list of must-do's before they die.
 
I did not see this movie in the theater when it was originally released; however,"bucket list" is now in the popular vernacular because of it. The basic concept isn't really all that new - philosophers have been interested in the good life, and how to achieve it, since the beginning of time. Long before Rob Reiner's take on it, I used to carry a list of 10 things I wanted to do before I died. I also had written mine on lined, yellow paper, just like Morgan Freeman's character did in his hospital bed (there's just something so, I don't know, official, about a yellow, lined pad of paper). Some of the things on my list I've accomplished; some I now have no desire to see to completion; others I'll probably still complete. I think this is rather de rigeur, as my point of view has changed over time.
 
On the Bucket List's dvd, there's an extra segment from the movie's writer, Justin Zackham, about the how and why of bucket lists, and his concept of why someone creates such a list in the first place: because they are not content. I could not disagree more with this. Crossing things off my list isn't about contentment - if it were, then I'd be in some serious hot water, since regrets can't be undone minus a magic djinni, and undoing them definitely isn't on my list. I think we must all live with at least some level of regret. I can learn from my mistakes, live with greater knowledge and awareness, but regrets are inevitable and make contentment possible.
 
And that has very little to do with a bucket list.

While I didn't speak with him, I'm pretty certain this
South African wasn't thinking about a bucket list while
he was attempting to catch something to eat that day.

 
Additionally, I think most people in western, industrialized nations are already fairly content, although capitalism would have us believe otherwise. Actual bucket lists are uniquely the product of relatively well-educated, well-fed, well-housed and clothed individuals who have the time on their hands to actually daydream about such things. And let me state for the record: I'm one of those well-educated, well-fed, well-housed and clothed individuals. Thank goodness for daydreaming! Imagination leads to curiosity, and deep curiosity will hold me in good stead for, like, well, as long as I'm living this life.

And no bucket list for this man, just a wish to have a
hospital closer than three hours away (and yes, I did ask).

Finally, a confession (well, ok, two confessions): I actually lost my bucket list several years ago, and I'm not all that upset about it. My recent foray with knit and crochet "bucket" lists has shown me that I am not, at this point, a good list person. Lists are limiting. And lists lead inevitably to comparisons, which leads to my other confession: I was actually fairly pleased that some things that made it onto the movie characters' list I had already experienced, no list required. And of course I shouldn't have felt all warm and fuzzy about that, but there you have it.

Which is another reason why no more bucket list for me.

If you had to create a bucket list, what might make the cut?