Firsts, Lasts, and Bucket Lists

Life is full of firsts and lasts.  I think that even doing something new can be such a common thing that we sometimes don't even realize we are doing something new.  I remember last spring when it really began to sink in that I was graduating from college, I spent some time thinking about all of the things I had done during my four years of college.  Some things were things I have done so many times before.  I found myself remembering things that I had never done prior to college, some that I would never have expected to have done even.  I began thinking about things that I had not yet done while in Spokane and things that I really wanted to do at least one time while I was in Spokane or things that I had done before and wanted to do just one more time.  I found myself making what I guess I would call a bucket list.

Now that I will be leaving for Ethiopia in February and I will be there for two years, I have found myself once again reflecting on what I have done, what I have not done, and what I would really like to do before I leave.

A couple things that I have on my list include:

• Visit family in Wisconsin
• Visit Spokane
• Going into San Francisco during the holidays

There are other things on my list, and there are always new things to add.  I am so excited that I really am making trips to Wisconsin and Spokane before I leave!  Honestly, all I want is to make sure that the time I have left before I leave is spent well and meaningful.  I want to enjoy my last few months in the states and I want to soak in as much of my own culture as I possibly can.

I will admit that my bucket list is actually shorter than I would like.  What I enjoy the most about creating this bucket list is being able to add things that I would love to do again or things that I have never done before but dream of doing some day.

No matter how short or small my list may be, I have realized that what really matters is how I spend every moment.  Am I making the most of each and every day?  And how do I best use my time up until when I leave for Ethiopia?  These are questions that I don't think I will ever be able to fully answer, but I hope that when February comes around, I am able to look back at the past few months and not have any regrets.