What’s on Your Bucket List?
As I sit here in my office typing this email, landscapers are outside pulling summer flowers out of the ground and replacing them with hearty mums. I traded in my flip flops for cowboy boots and jeans, and the heat just kicked on because it’s 50 degrees. Fall has officially arrived in Massachusetts.
I’ve been reflecting over the past week on the word legacy. Our community recently lost an amazing woman. She was just shy of her 89th birthday when she passed away, and she and her husband had been married for 70 years. She was a leader, a philanthropist and a mentor to many. In reading her obituary, I thought, “What a life well-lived.” Days later, I learned about the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Talk about a woman who made an impact! When you scroll through the list of Ginsberg’s accomplishments, it’s clear that she filled every moment of her 87 years creating an extraordinary legacy. If you haven’t watched RBG on Netflix, I highly recommend it. Regardless of your politics, I think you’ll find her story to be inspiring and beyond impressive.
Which leads me to the question: What’s your legacy? What are you doing now that will leave a lasting impact? What’s on your bucket list? What’s was on your bucket list that perhaps you’ve given up on? What if you resurrected that dream, and committed to making it happen? Who’s someone who could help you make it come to fruition?
My grandmother (Gramma Jam) had three things on her bucket list: to learn to swim, to take a trip to Hawaii, and to ride in a hot air balloon. She didn’t tackle these items until she was in her 60’s and even 70’s—and they all got accomplished with the help and encouragement of our family. By the time she passed away, Gramma Jam quite literally had checked all things off her bucket list.
The bucket list concept has been a theme this year with all of our clients. We’ve been encouraging people throughout the pandemic to take time to get clear about the things they want to do, see and accomplish—and get to work on creating a plan to make those things happen. Some of them include:
A recently retired couple who renovated an Airstream and are safely traveling cross-country to places they’ve always wanted to go.
A local business owner who transformed her backyard into a spectacular garden this year, grew all her own vegetables, and has mastered canning and pickling—while also successfully keeping her business afloat.
An 82 year-old client who learned to speak Italian by taking online courses throughout her quarantine.
A friend’s son decided he didn’t want to go to college this fall, but instead wanted to become a farmer—so they packed up and moved to the Midwest to support their son’s dream, cashed in his college account to put a down-payment on land, and the whole family now has a part in running the family farm. How incredible is that?
Take a moment to think about your bucket list and your legacy. Now might be the time to share your wishes with others and get into action. And from the Notorious RBG: “If you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself, something to repair tears in your community, something to make life a little better for people less fortunate than you.” What a timely message.
Have a great week. Focus on your legacy, think about your community and let’s all look for opportunities to make a difference every single day.
