Creativity: The Bucket is Never Empty

There was a time when I absolutely refused to create a bucket list. You know that list of things you want to do before you die. Just the idea that the bucket would be empty and then I would die was more than this small town girl could wrap her mind around. All I could think was, why are those people in such a hurry to do all those things? Don't they know that when the bucket is empty their life is over? It was wrong on so many levels I cannot even begin to tell you why.

I often talked about my fear of the bucket list. My friends really didn't understand why I was resisting the idea. Someone pointed out to me that I could keep adding things to it, new ideas and goals and adventures. For some reason I thought that I would run out of things to do. It kept me from even thinking about those things I would wish for or set out to do. In fact, up until this very day I have never given a bucket list a try.

Then along came Maya Angelou, one of the wisest women I have ever known. She didn't pretend to know everything I don't think and she surely didn't need to be perfect. But in the end it was all about her creativity. In a Maya Angelou quote posted by Mrs. AOK as a writing prompt, Ms. Angelou referred to the endless possibilities of creativity. She said:

"You can't use up your creativity. The more you use, the more you have."

The truth is that if I had a bucket list, it would be full of idea, creative notions and bobbles. Those things would be all the things I need to create and experience. If Ms. Angelou is right I would not need to add things, they would simply multiply on their own. I love that concept that creativity is multiplied each time we use it. Isn't that wonderful?

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20 Places You Should See Before You Die

13 Added Thoughts on Satisfying Retirement: If I Had An Expiration Date

Satisfying Retirement: If I Had An Expiration Date....that has to be the best thought provoking "if" ever.  Back in the day when we were all thinking in terms of "memes" and "lists" this could have started a wildfire on the web.  The idea came from a blog post by Bob Lowry over at Satisfying Retirement.  His wildly popular blog always gets lots of attention and I am sure that this idea caught people's attention.

Bob threw the question out there...what if we had an expiration date?   Bob is a very pratictical man I think and he saw the expiration date as a challenge to finish the jobs he needed to complete...leave a lesson or two for his children, spend his time more productively and grow spiritually. He really covered all the important items.  For all of his list I say ditto.


But I need to add a few of my own:

1. I would smile more.
2. My cell phone minutes would all get used.
3. Friends I have not talked to would hear from me.
4. I would write more letters.
5. Everyone I saw would get a hug...even if they didn't want one.
6. There are things that puzzle me.  I would spend more time searching for answers.
7. I would never hide my opinions again...if they are wrong or slanted then I need to work out in my own mind why.  A good argument or discussion never would hurt anyone.
8. My family would be showered with gifts and love.
9. Hopefully, the strength to keep my pain or fear to myself would come from somewhere.  Maybe that would be the spiritual depth Bob talked about.
10. I would clean my closet and bathroom more often.  Not because I care but because I don't want my family to see my mess.   
11. A tree would be planted and a child would be sent to summer camp if I could afford it.
12. I have always wanted to leave a mark at my college...maybe some money could be donated for a chair.  I would like to do that.
13. I would focus on my successes in my final days.  I have stewed over my many, many mistakes for way to long.

The list turned out to be longer than I thought it would be.  Maybe I should start working on it today.  After all, we DO have an expiration date and it is anybody's guess when that will be.

Just a thought.

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