"It's Time to Put the Moves On!"

by Kelly Stonerock

I was inspired when I heard the theme of this magazine was going to be “Creating your Vision or Bucket List.” So much so that I decided to re-watch the old 2008 movie entitled, “The Bucket List.” The movie stars Jack Nicholson as Edward and Morgan Freeman as Carter. These two strangers meet in a shared hospital room as they both struggle through the grueling diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Edward and Carter are strikingly different. Edward owns the hospital that they are being treated in and has lived a filthy rich lifestyle. Carter, while not financially filthy rich, is rich in family relationships. By contrast, Carter, though highly intelligent, chose not to complete community college and became a car mechanic to provide for his family. These two individuals form a bond as hospital room mates. They also both receive the news that they have six months to a year to live. Carter declares, “Forty-five years goes by real fast.” To which Edward responds, “Like smoke through a keyhole.”

Edward then discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper on the floor; it’s Carter’s bucket list, disposed because he sees his list as an unobtainable pipe dream. However, Edward has the money to travel the world and complete this list. It is not an unobtainable pipe dream. Edward yells to Carter, “Let’s put the moves on!” That was code for “Let’s fulfill this bucket list” and that’s exactly what these two strangers, now friends, do as they simultaneously add new items to the list.

The movie is filled with humor and tears as they attempt to fulfill each item on the list. The movie will keep you engaged because nearly every line appears to be written with purpose and is infused with life lessons. It made me take notes and wonder how I could apply some of the lessons to my own life. It encourages viewers to prioritize living a life of purpose and adventure, to embrace experiences and to find meaning in the present moment, rather than solely focusing on material success or future achievements. The purpose of the movie sounded like my favorite scripture in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Live purposely, worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible and intelligent people, making the most of our days, because the days are short.”

A bucket list is supposedly a list of career goals, travel destinations, health, finance or relationship goals that you hope to accomplish before…you kick the bucket and die. Admittedly, I am somewhat of an adventure junkie. I have glided down Mexican zip lines, taken an Alaskan helicopter ride to drink from a glacier, paraglided over the Grand Tetons, felt the heat from a doors off helicopter ride over a Hawaiian volcano (the pilot turned our helicopter on its side so I could get better pictures from my open door), jet skied in Cabo, gone night diving with manna rays, flown a private plane across Michigan and air boated in the Everglades. I have gone downhill skiing in Vermont and Colorado, horseback riding in Yellowstone, mountain climbing at Angels Landing in Zion National Park, repelling, salmon fishing, bear hunting, duck hunting, quadding, water skiing, tubing, snorkeling, boating, sailing, biking, hiking, on train rides, scuba diving and, most recently, I rode on the Flint Firebird Zamboni.

I have a lot more left on my bucket list to complete, mostly places I still want to visit, and I need to go skydiving when I am 60 years old…..just like my mother did. The point is, whether your bucket list is big or small or has limited adventures or multiple adventures, don’t wait. Don’t let the excuses win! Where there is a will, there is a way! You don’t want to reflect back on the “would of” and “could of” excuses that stopped you. It’s time to work towards your bucket list or at least start creating one.

Interestingly, one of the many facts that Carter has stored in his head and tells Edward is that statistically 96% of people say they’d rather not know the date they will die Carter, on the other hand, announces that he thinks he falls in the 4% that would want to know. Why? So, he could fulfill his bucket list before that date.

One striking moment, atop an Egyptian pyramid, Carter shares that the Egyptian Gods would ask two questions to help determine whether a person deserved to enter heaven. The first question was, “Have you found joy in your life?” The second question was, “Has your life brought joy to others?”

Both are valuable questions, though not the actual biblical standard for entrance into heaven, which is far easier to obtain. The Bible, in Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.”

However, these Egyptian questions do make you think. Have I found joy in my life? If not, what can I do about it now? Has my life brought joy to others? If not, what can I do about it now? Both questions are great additions to a bucket list. So, if you are reading this article right now, stop, get out a piece of paper or the notes app on your phone and start that bucket list.

What are some bucket list ideas to add joy to your life? What are some bucket list ideas to bring joy to others? Add those to your career, adventure, health, finance and relationship bucket ideas and include some tangible plans to achieve those goals. Why? Because, like Edward said, “It’s time to put the moves on!”

Kelly Stonerock was raised in Clarkston. She has been a resident of Goodrich for 29 years. She is presently the CEO of BatsAndTraps.com, an animal removal company that services Genesee County and it’s surrounding communities. Kelly has five children of her own and she raised three other children. She was featured on ABC’s television show, “Wife Swap” in 2005. Her episode is available on Hulu, Season 2: Episode 11.