It’s a fact that everyone will die. I know it sucks. And it’s something that we don’t want to talk about or even think about.
Memento mori is the Latin phrase meaning, “remember, you must die”. I know it’s a pretty morbid thought. But keeping in mind that someday you will die, don’t you want to live life to the fullest?
We all have some type of bucket list or at least an idea of things that we want to do. So why put them off? What if you die before you get to see the Eiffel Tower, take your kids to Disney World, or before you have a chance to milk a cow?
If you take a walk through any Puritan cemetery in Massachusetts you will find old gravestones with skulls and Memento Mori carved into them.
The early Puritan’s believed that putting this “warning” on the gravestones it would serve as a reminder for the living that they better not fuck up in their current life because God knows what will happen to them in eternity.
Yep, You’re Gonna Die
You probably don’t want me to keep reminding you that you’re gonna die, but maybe we all need to be reminded of this.
We all need to be ready for the big day when we head on up to the castle in the sky. It might be 50 years from now or it might be 50 minutes. We just don’t know. So take charge of your life and do everything that you have on your list.
There’s a Tim McGraw song, “Live Like You Were Dying”. The song talks about a guy who was in his early 40s and just learned that he didn’t have much time left. So he went out to do everything he wanted to do before he died. I bet many of us would do the same thing. But why wait? Why wait to do something until we find out that death is coming sooner than later?
Things Not on Your Bucket List
It’s understood that most of us don’t have the money to do some of the things we want and that might be the only thing holding us back.
And then there is our job, and how we can’t get the time off of work. But there are a lot of free things that we can do that should be on your list. Like spending more time with your kids. Playing catch with your little boy, brushing your little girl’s hair, or just getting on the floor to play with your kids. I know I’m reaching out to all the dads out there.
These are the things that I think about when I get home from work and all I want to do is hold my baby boy and make him smile.
Okay, so you’re not a dad, maybe do something that is outside of your comfort zone, like jump out of an airplane or see how far you can walk before you can’t walk anymore?
Take some time to do something for yourself. Do something adventurous, even if you think it’s lame, it won’t be that lame when you have the experience to share.
If you’re a loner and don’t have any friends, go out and make a friend. You aren’t the only lonely person in the world. Instead of thinking about doing something, get out there and just do it. Even if it’s something as simple as giving your mom a call.
Bucket List Ideas
There are literally millions of things that you can do before you die. I know that it’s tough to decide on which ones to do first. I’m not going to make a huge list of ideas. But I’ll give you a few to get you started.
My best advice on starting the list is to write down all the things that you want to do or see without worrying about the cost; you never know what opportunity might present itself? Also, think outside the box. The bucket list can also be personal goals!
Here’s a quick list to get you started:
Travel
- Kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland
- Visit a pub in Scotland and have a scotch
- Take a selfie in all 50 states with your best friend
- Attempt to eat and finish a Thurmanator in Columbus, Ohio
- Spend a month in a villa in Tuscany
Career
- Become an expert in your field
- Pick up a new certification or degree
- Try working 80 hours in a week and see how much you can get done
- Update your resume and stay alert for your next career
Health
- See how often you can walk instead of driving
- Push yourself to workout or workout harder
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night for a month
Finances
- Don’t eat out for a month
- Make a Will
- Increase your monthly loan payment by at least 10% each month
Family
- Get on the floor and play with your kids at least once a day
- Kiss your family goodnight every night
- Go on a family walk every night for a whole summer
- Build your kids a treehouse
- Take your kids to Disney World
Everything Else
- Learn to play the bagpipes
- Take a hot air balloon ride
- Be in the audience of the Tonight Show
- Ride horses on the beach
- Pursue the hot chick whose out of your league (just don’t be creepy)
- Go to the National Championship game to watch the Buckeyes win another title
Wrapping Up
Memento mori is morbid and no one wants to think about death, let alone losing someone they love. But it is inevitable that we will all die someday. The only thing that you can do right now is to live your life and make the best of every situation and blessing you are given.