Bucket list: “a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.”
What is it with bucket lists? Why do we feel we have to tick off a list of things to do before we reach a certain age or even before we ‘kick the bucket’?
I hadn’t really given this much thought as I have never really had a tick list until a much older friend of ours (I need to get that in) who is reaching a certain age this year suddenly feels the need to cycle from Lands’ End to John O Groats in September. His wife chose to go to New York for her sixtieth which we all did last weekend – this was much more appealing to me.
Why you might ask at the age of 60 would you put yourself through cycling this route unless you are super fit, you look good in lycra and do not carry excess baggage (if you know what I mean), instead of believing you are fitter than you actually are, you definitely shouldn’t be seen out in public wearing lycra and are showing signs of being slightly insane.
Well his inspiration and desire to do something incredible and memorable in his sixtieth year was brought about by my 26 year old son who over 12 months ago successfully completed this demanding challenge with a dozen of his friends in order to raise funds for The Teenage Cancer Trust . They wanted to give back to the charity which has been providing treatment and care to their close friend who is battling with the disease at the young age of 24. The boys achieved their goal in 9 days and raised £50k along the way.
Our aforementioned friend and his wife together with me and my husband went up to John O Groats to meet the boys as they arrived at the famous landmark together with many other friends and family to form a welcoming party and to share a very proud moment.
Ever since then our aforementioned friend has talked about what an amazing achievement it was and how he would love to do something similar hence his decision to challenge himself this year. It should be said that our cycling experience to date has been leisurely cycling holidays in France eating and drinking along the way, carrying all our chattels with us and finding good chambre d’hôtes in which to rest our weary heads – my idea of cycling.
But he is very determined, focussed and likes a challenge so I have no doubt he will achieve his goal.
As friends we will encourage and support him as much as possible and we really do believe he will do it and we will feel very proud of him when we meet him at the ‘Journey’s End’ finger post sign at the north eastern tip of Scotland.
Now most people may have a visit to Lands’ End and John O Groats as two separate items on their bucket list- I have a feeling we may be ticking LE JOG off our list twice!
Well that’s my ‘bucket list’ started – have you started yours?
