The Revised Bucket List...

This past Monday I started my journey to Manitoba. The trip is long enough that I need to break it up into segments. Luckily, my mom makes for a nice rest stop along the way. I scheduled in a couple of extra days figuring this would be a nice time to catch up with her, my sister, and my nephews. It was a good trip as trips go and I had fun. However, last night when my mom and I were reviewing my upcoming itinerary I realized something, something that threw a monkey-wrench into the works.

I tell my students there are three essentials when traveling abroad: passport, camera, and credit card. I had forgotten my passport.

Seven hours after hugging my mom good-bye, I find myself relaxing in a downtown Laramie cafe. Tomorrow I will venture out once again, hopefully remembering my passport this time. Tomorrow will be a long drive, but I'll be back on schedule after that.

Last night after I had realized I had forgotten my passport, I remember my mom asking how essential it was that I go to Manitoba and if I was doing this just to do it. The trip is pretty important, but it was the latter comment that stuck with me as it's been something I've been thinking about now for several years.

Six years ago, I traveled to Africa for the first time. This was continent #6 for me and it placed me one step closer to my lifetime goal of conquering all 7. However, for whatever reason, I remember thinking after I arrived, "I don't care anymore. I don't care if I reach all 7." I have since traveled to South America (#7), but I think it was more going through the motions than actually celebrating the completion of a lifetime goal.

I've seen a number of friends comment on checking off 'bucket list' items of recent. One in particular is traveling to South America and commented that this was now going to be crossed off. I'm happy for her, but it did bring this idea back to forefront of my mind: I no longer have a bucket list.

To clarify a bit, there are still plenty of places I want to visit (North Pole, Quebec City, Japan, etc.) and things I want to do (take up flyfishing, learn to swing dance, see the Avs win the Stanley Cup in person, etc.), but I can honestly say I don't care if any of these things really take place or not (well, maybe except the one about the Avs). For someone who has been a goal-oriented person all his life, this is an odd place to find oneself.

I have no goals of present, no pressing goals so to speak, and I'm wondering if this is just life or a blip in the journey.