The Thing about Bucket Lists . . .

Since the movie the Bucket List became so popular a few years ago it is somewhat of an "in thing" for us to refer to.  It is a neat way of asking and answering what things do you want to see and do in life so that you can look back at it with no regrets?  The other thing about the list is that it can keep growing. I think about the many things that we learned about in school, looked at pictures of and thought that it would be a dream to go to see those actual things some day.  Having had pen-pals, in the day that you put pen to paper and wrote letters by hand, further enhanced the dream as Carol in Birmingham, England, Sophia in Athens, Greece and Chiaria in India told of aspects of their cities, countries and cultures.  Then, there was Aunt Carrie who traveled and sent post cards from the various places.  A willing partner who likes to travel and also has a list of places to go and see adds to the allure of travel and makes it a wonderful experience.  

I remember, when I watched the movie the Bucket List and heard the quote "Have you found joy in your life?  Has your life brought joy to others?, thinking that this is a significant message.  Have you experienced joy and have you brought joy, while not lofty goals makes one stop and think about what it is you do with life and how you have been fortunate to live it out.  If the experiences of my life can bring enjoyment to someone else then it will indeed have been purposeful and worthwhile.  My journeys, the photos and sharing the experiences first by facebook and then with my blog is a small way that I try to include others.  This blog, started in August at the suggestion of two parishioners, has morphed into more than 20,000 hits and the articles have been read more that twenty six hundred times in total so far. So as I experience much joy, with the travels that I have been so fortunate to experience and through the educational opportunities that I am fortunate to be able to avail of, I hope that in return I bring a bit of joy to your day!  So sit back in a comfy arm chair and relax today we explore a small part of Florence and then onward to Venice and Assisi

On the list so far check

• The Eiffel Tower 
• Walk on the Champs de l'Elysess
• See The Arc de Triomphe in Paris
• The Louvre to see the Mona Lisa (everything else was a bonus)
• Pont D'Avignon
• Trevi Fountain
• The Vatican -- St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel (when we return to Rome)
• Venice
• Grain Elevator and see the prairies
• Visit a Caribbean Island
• Have a train ride (which is what I am doing as I write my blog for today -- 250 km an hour heading for Florence, Italy enjoying the scenery and the mountains)

and has the advertisement from BMO says . . . for everything else there is Master card!