The other night, while I was working on this site, I was half watching a movie on tv – I have seen it before, so I was just letting it play in the background while I was working.
The movie, The Bucket List, directed by Rob Reiner, with Jack Nicholson (Edward) and Morgan Freeman (Carter). It is about two men who are terminally ill and have a list of things they want to do before they die. In one part of the movie, the two main characters – Edward and Carter – have traveled to Egypt and are looking at the pyramids. They discuss that the ancient Egyptians believed you get into Heaven by the answers to two questions:
1) Have you had joy in your life?
2) Have you brought joy to others?
Since the other night, I have been thinking about the two questions. And I keep going back to this: is that all we have to do? Is that it? Are we guaranteed “Heaven” if we can answer “yes” to the two questions. What if the answer is yes – then what about those who have brought pain to some while bringing joy to others. Does it balance out? Do a few rights erase the wrongs? Is there a scoreboard somewhere, a tally sheet that keeps track? It is pretty safe to say that we won’t know until we are at the end.
After a lot of thought, I am thinking that maybe – just maybe – the “bucket list” – isn’t an around-the-world vacation, race car driving, skydiving, climbing the Pyramids, or going on a lion safari in Africa. Maybe the true “bucket list” is a very simple list, attainable by all – and it isn’t materialistic nor does it take a millionaire to finance it. For me, it seems simple, the real “bucket list” is having joy in our lives because we have brought joy to others. That, my dear Carter, is the ultimate to-do list.
So when life’s lights start dimming and I close my eyes for the final time, I really hope and pray that I can answer yes to the question: Have you had joy in your life? Because if I can say yes, then I know that I adhered to my own “bucket list” and brought joy to others.
I hope all of you find the joy in your life…
Deb
