Since 1900, the global average life expectancy has more than doubled and is now approaching 70 years. It’s been on a slower tick since the 1970s, inching up. For those in the United States, the average life span in 1935 was approximately 60 give or take. For men, it was 59.9. Women live a bit longer, 63.9. I wonder if this can be attributed to the famous last words, “Hey fellas, watch this.” Today, the average for those in the United States is approaching 80. For you social security buffs out there, that’s an increase of 16 years.
As I slowly walk down the life expectancy highway, bucket lists came to mind. If you don’t have one, there are entire sites out there for ideas. Benchmarking is a good thing. Research.
Yesterday, I found this in an old journal of mine:
- Hike the Grand Canyon,
- Lend money to a friend with expecting it back,
- Learn to tie a tie (the Windsor way),
- Teach a class,
- Write a book,
- Stand on the Great Wall,
- Kiss someone passionately in public,
- Go White water rafting,
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro,
- Find a lost city in Peru (Machu Picchu),
- Go on an amazing hike,
- Plant a tree,
- Dive at the Great Barrier Reef,
- Go Ice Climbing (choose your place),
- Cliff diving in Mexico,
- Eat at a sidewalk cafe in Rome,
- Run a race (marathon preferred),
- Run with the bulls (or ride one, that works too),
- Start a business,
There were a few others on the list. From memory, I probably have five different bucket lists. They are fun to draft. For this list, many of these I can cross off. Some, I still have to get to. But this did get me thinking. You see, time is powerful. And I had to wonder if I’d do anything at all (the more challenging ones) if the human life expectancy became infinite. Time and risk balance one another. Something to ponder.
Notes:
- Everyone should have goals, but the bucket list is much more fun.
- Yes, I’ve crossed a few off the list. The Grand Canyon is a worthy adventure.
