One thing that hit me hard as I prepared for my fourteen-hour cancer surgery and the subsequent recovery was that I did not have a Bucket List. I had not prepared a "do it before I die" list. Here I was, hours away from the most difficult surgery of my life (so far), with no plans for the future. I felt panic. How as I suppose to live this new "after-cancer" life with a renewed spirit if I didn't even have a Bucket List?
Of course that thought was silly. Just because I hadn't formally taken time to write things down on a list, didn't mean I could start a fresh new life. But, the "planner" in me felt scared that I hadn't prepared the list before I went into surgery. I realized, yet again, that I had spent so much of my life achieving work goals and providing for others that I forgot about ME.
So I hurried up with all my other last minute preparations and then, the night before my surgery, I sat down with a blank notebook and a glass of wine and started dreaming!
Do I really just get to write down all the things that I want to do? Things that make ME happy? I had never thought of it this way before. I had never given myself this freedom.
This night was different. I had full freedom.
I knew what I wanted to do. Six months after my surgery (I felt like that was enough time to heal), I was getting on a plane for a solo trip to Italy! I would spend two weeks in Tuscany and two weeks in the hustle and bustle of Florence. I felt so excited just to dream of such an adventure.
So as soon as my initial healing was complete, I bought the ticket for six months ahead. I booked a beautiful farmhouse in Sienna overlooking the vineyard, and a small studio apartment in the heart of Florence. I didn't care what it cost, this was my reward.
And to this day, it was the best trip of my life.
What's on your Bucket List?
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