INA WO(A)NDERS: ABOUT BUCKETLISTS
Do you have a bucket list?
InA wonders what that actually is and whether a bucket list can help you live more.
When I recently told a friend of mine Crossing the Atlantic by sailboat She said: “Well then you can cross that off your bucket list now.” Is that so? Do I have a bucket list? What else does it say? And what is that anyway – a bucket list? The Internet provided information. While we Germans are at the end of our lives to die, our English-speaking fellow human beings oppose it a bucket. It sounds somehow more stubborn than the spoon thing, but it means the same thing.
A bucket list can help set priorities
A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket – so before you die. It is therefore something very personal; not only reveals a lot about our dreams, but also our fears. What do I really want to do? What do I definitely not want to miss? A bucket list reminds us that life is short. And anyone who takes the trouble to write one may have different priorities now and in the future. However, you can always question a list like this.
Stress factor bucket list?
I remember an accommodation in Berlin that I once ended up in while passing through. My host was in his mid-30s and occasionally rented out his guest room to people like me. There were picture frames all over his apartment with photos of him giving a thumbs up. Behind: the Statue of Liberty. The beach from the film The Beach. The Taj Mahal. The Eiffel Tower. And so forth. “You’ve been everywhere?” I asked in awe. "Yes. But there are still a lot of things missing,” he said. And he seemed more depressed than proud. He has a bucket list of places he wants to visit in his life. And it's so long that it sometimes stresses him out. Especially during Corona, he was totally behind schedule. “And what touched you most during your travels?” I asked, looking at all the photos. “Well, I was there,” he said with a shrug.
Don't panic: nothing is set in stone
Back to me. In 2023 my vagabond life took a major somersault. I first moved from the sailing boat to a wooden hut in the middle of nowhere, then temporarily to my parents' teenage room, bought a van, drove it to Portugal - and finally ended up on a boat again. I have now crossed the Atlantic and am currently exploring the Caribbean. None of it was written down anywhere, it just happened and was pretty awesome. Maybe because it didn't torpedo any plans or lists? But because chance, magic and the universe also had a say.
In this respect, I recommend at this point that instead of kicking buckets, you should keep the spoon firmly in your hand and enjoy life to the fullest.
You can also enjoy the moment with good food! You can find inspiration for this at Example in the Food category.
Do you have a bucket list? What does it say? And have you ever thrown them overboard and rewritten them? I am always happy to receive feedback, suggestions or questions - please send me a comment or send me an email directly [email protected].
© Photos: Ina Hiester
Ina Hiester
Ina is a digital nomad and travels through Europe by land and sea. The journalist is always on the lookout for special places for Good Travel, philosophizes about travel in her column, takes photographs, makes music and writes articles on all kinds of environmental and sustainability topics.
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