My new bucket list

Days seem to be shorter with the many distractions that grab our time and take our attention from the essentials. Although people vary in their priorities my recent exposures to senior citizens in some of our projects led me to think of my own coming of age. I jotted down a bucket list for those who are in their prime to think about before they get cramming when employment comes to a halt.

I am sure most of us have read all the material on financial management that calls for us to save and invest. While young, it is best to do this. Investments on a solid pension plan that can supplement the measly pension that our social security system provides. That brings to fore, the hope that officials in legislation can improve the pension plan of the private sector employees as well as craft a comfortable and sustainable medical plan for all citizens. If not for our generation, perhaps for the next.

So there, you have to invest on a secure retirement so you can do mostly what you want.

Our bucket list highly depends on reaching our realities and there is no better time to prepare than now.

Enjoying our youth is good and having fun is required. But we can do so responsibly by striving to monitor our expenses so we make the right use of hard-earned money.

Building one’s faith is also important. If you watched the episodes on living to a hundred on Netflix, you will note that aside from living simply, a prime importance was given to faith. It does not just spell out religion. It is a way of life. In fact, it is the very reason of existence. We awaken to the reality that we are basically spirit and secondarily human.

Our humanity is a shape that God breathes into so we can have matter, and must matter to others as well. Faith must be shared perhaps that is why there are fellowships and gatherings to boost the spirit in us by connecting with other spirits. All with the unified purpose of bearing fruit where kindness and goodness, gentleness, love, peace, joy, self-control and endurance are exercised.

Strengthening the family early on comes next. Family is not limited to your cell of relatives. It expands to include friends, the community where human bonds can multiply to the point of respect and reliance.

Occupation follows. The productive things we do out of job. That relevant something that occupies our time that gives us inspiration and zest to proceed with life. A hobby, a book club, a social group, exercise classes, that use time well and perks up the body. And we must not forget to feed the brain as well with new ideas, discussions and artistic expressions.

In spite of all of the above, that already look like fun, we have to think of entertainment.  The enjoyable things we do and share with others. Dance, karaoke, face-to-face games that we enliven our spirit and bring out laughter.

These things must be part of our bucket list. We have to fill in our buckets now so we can easily dig in when it’s time to move.

This is our ultimate business after business.