Bucketlist

As I entered my 45 th year, a sudden realisation dawned upon me that I have already crossed the prime years of my life. Mid life crisis hit me and set me worrying about the pace at which time was running out with so much left to do.

Like everyone, I too have a bucket list of things I want to experience before i bid adieu to the world. Some of them i have been fortunate enough to achieve and some yet to be fulfilled.This is my wishlist and some recommendations for everyone which I feel should be done at least once in a lifetime.

1. Sleeping under the twinkling stars and watch the Moon play hide and seek with the clouds. Feel the gentle, cool breeze and the enchanting darkness.

I have some wonderful memories of childhood -sleeping on the terrace of our ancestral house at our hometown in Rajasthan with my cousins and extended family.The chit chat, banter, laughter, games and the peaceful undisturbed sleep still enthrall me.

I wish to sleep in a bean bag under the star studded sky at Nubra Valley someday.

2. Dancing in the rain, feeling  the drizzle of raindrops on the face and getting drenched. I have been  doing this every monsoon since i can remember and still cant get enough of it.

3. Wear a chiffon saree and have a photoshoot in the midst of snow clad mountains (Mt Titlis is on my wishlist) and feel like a sensuous Yash Chopra heroine.

Experience live snowfall which i have been fortunate to witness in Kashmir. It is a delight to see the feathery flakes fall on the ground and cover everything with a pristine white blanket.

4. Bathe in any natural body of water- sea, river, lake. I have always been a water baby with an affinity to anything aquatic. Had the pleasure of learning swimming in Fateh sagar, Udaipur (my first tryst with swimming at the age of 7-8years with my father and cousins).

Scuba diving at Havelock, Andamans was a life changing experience akin to meditation with conscious breathing .

But my favorite was plunging into the icy cold Ganga at Rishikesh during white water rafting over the rapids. My most thrilling and fun experience with water. 

I never miss an oppotunity to swim in the sea and feel the towering waves crashing on the sands during our beach vacations. Swimming in a pool is so miniscule compared to this.

5. Trek once in your lifetime- an arduous religious journey or ascent to a mountain peak. Pushing your limits to achieve the feat and conquering the destination feels magical.

I have been on religious treks but yet to do an actual mountain climb.

6. Fast -try to live with bare minimum at least for a day and learn the lesson of endurance.It is important to realise the value of the things we take for granted and to practice gratitude.    

7. Travel alone and connect with nature and unknown people. Discover yourself through the journey.

8. Visit places of worship of all religions- temple, church, mosque, monastery, gurudwara. You will be overwhelmed with the divine experience. You will appreciate and respect all religions . All are pathways to reach the same destination of spiritual cleansing.

My most memorable religious experience was the trek to Namgyal monastery at Sikkim and witness the Buddhist chanting- it was humbling.

Similarly it was amazing to visit Haji Ali at Mumbai and see the devotion of people. Being a Jain, i have been have been fortunate to go to many Jain temples and feel the divinity.

Golden Temple, Amritsar is in on my wish list and hope to visit it soon.  

9. Do something for the society at large - any kind of charity or work to selflessly help others in need. It can be done within the realms of our profession. It gives so much satisfaction and increases our self worth.

10. Give a live performance on stage - deliver a lecture, dance,sing,give a speech, tell jokes, anything. It is an amazing feeling to face an audience.It enhances our self confidence and helps us shed our inhibitions.

11.Spend time with elderly parents, relatives and listen to their stories and gather wisdom from their experiences.

12. Call and connect with a forgotten friend who you have lost touch with. It will make you relive some beautiful moments.

13. Play traditional games like kabbadi, kho kho, sitolia etc with your children and have fun bonding with them and sensitise them to our culture and values.                   

15. Learn to play a musical instrument, sing, dance or paint. Enjoy the beauty of music and fine arts. They are wonderful stress busters.

 16. Witness as many dawns and sunsets you can. It is the most glorious and spectacular sight to see the Sun and the riot of colours that God has painted.

 17. Lastly do that one thing that you are scared of or are averse to so as to overcome your fear and hesitation.

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away." - Maya Angelou   

- Dr Angelica

Comments

  1. Unleash the beastMarch 9, 2022 at 9:30 PM

    Travel alone is in my bucket list too. Want to go to some camping and trekking with all female travellers group.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dr. AngelicaMarch 11, 2022 at 8:44 AM

      Hope u fulfil ur wish soon! :)

      Delete

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