What's on Your List?

The concept of a "bucket list" is well-known: a list of adventures or accomplishments to complete before we die. Many people keep such a list informally throughout their lives, using it to organize goals or plans. Stanford Medicine has even done research on "What Goes on a Bucket List", and they find that there are six general categories through which we funnel our goals and dreams. They include:

Travel

Whether visiting local sites or traveling to see the world, travel is often a part of our plans for the future.

Personal Goals

Whether you dream of running a marathon or learning to knit a life-sized replica of the Statue of Liberty, your personal dreams are likely close to the top of your list, reflecting your unique interests.

Daring Activities

For the adrenaline junkies among us, jumping out of an airplane or bungee jumping off a cliff seem like just enough fun to be on the list.

Reach a Specific Life Milestone

Whether seeing your first grandchild or earning that college degree, life's big moments reflect our values and priorities as formal events.

Achieve Financial Stability

Whether having the financial means to retire, or to purchase a home, financial stability is often a big part of the picture.

Spend time with Family & Friends

Whether it's growing old together or meeting a friend for coffee, just being together is often enough in itself.

Many of these bucket list categories overlap one another, so we can't always sort out a "category" as easily as we might like. However, the one truth that emerges from these lists is that our lives are meaningful experiences that can be shaped by our dreams and desires. Whether or not you have a bucket list, your experience--from life's beginning to its ending--is valuable and true. At Enchanted Sky Hospice we honor this truth by treating you with the dignity and care you deserve.

For more on bucket lists, see Stanford Letter Project's What Goes on a Bucket List.