Never tell me the sky’s the limit when there are footprints on the moon.
Recently ‘Grownups’ ran an article about ‘bucket lists’, so this month I’ve decided to add another point of view.
Bucket lists (I wish there was a better term for this!) are very important for many of us. They give us a focus for getting out and doing certain things. This is of particular interest if we feel we do not have a lot of time left when we will feel active enough in our lives. Bucket lists give us a chance to concentrate on and plan to carry out some of our long held dreams.
But there is another point of view they we may like to think about if we have a single-minded focus on a list of things to do. Although our lists may include a list of different wishes the examples below are particularly about ones that involve travel.
A bucket list may give us tunnel vision.
If we arrive in say, Queenstown in New Zealand fixated on that singular bungee jump, we’re a lot less likely to notice the tui or other native birds flying overhead or the grand scenery. So when we plan an entire trip out of crossing off one specific activity, we automatically make that activity the “purpose” of the trip. Consequently, we’re more likely to turn down any little side adventure, attraction, or spontaneous offer that steals time away from the trip’s “purpose.”
Bucket lists may make us travel for obligation, not pleasure.
“I don’t really have money to spend on my ticket to see the Rolling Stones, but I’m doing it anyway because it’s on my bucket list.” The truth is, though, that we change and our goals change. When we have a fixed bucket list, we risk spending time on experiences we may feel obligated to complete, not on experiences that we’re craving at the moment.
Will we miss out on spontaneous getaways?
Bucket lists are not often cheap to complete. So if we’re serious about our bucket lists, we’re much more likely to turn down all those little trips or experiences along the way, because we’re saving money and energy for the “big” journeys.
Do we want to be tourists or travellers?
How have experiences got on to the bucket list? Is it because we saw them in an article or on a website? And we were told that these activities are the ‘must-do’s’ in a particular place? Will it be at the expense of soaking up the atmosphere, meeting some interesting locals or otherwise soaking in the culture?
Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving – Terry Pratchett
Ron Tustin