Bucket List

I just returned from a very nice hike with Petey. It was snowing and no one else was in the woods. We had the place to ourselves....true peace and quiet and time to reflect. The only birds I saw were Golden Crowned Kinglets and a Brown Creeper.

During my lovely walk, I had time to think and came to a happy discovery. I am coming in to a time in my life where I can pursue some interests that are just for me. I spent my first twenty five years growing up and learning to survive on my own, the next twenty five raising my family and now I'm coming into a time where I can finally dive in to some of my life passions. I hope that I get another twenty five years to do it all! Thinking about the next stage in life is very exciting, and made me really happy today. Last week my chiropractor was talking about her bucket list, all the things that she wants to do before she dies, and it made me think...why don't I have any dreams and goals? I want a bucket list too! I found that I do have dreams and goals, now that raising my boys is almost over, they were all just covered in cobwebs. When you are so busy raising a large families and putting all their needs ahead your own, you put yourself on the back burner, and you can lose yourself. I did lose myself during the early years of parenting, and had no time alone, until I gifted myself with my Weim Uno. He helped me to get back out hiking, alone. I'm so drawn out in to nature everyday, it's such a part of my life, like eating, sleeping, breathing that I get very depressed if I go too long with out my daily fix.

My bucket list so far, I want to bird/nature watch on each of the continents. I would like to see each of the whale species possible, so trips would include the Sea of Cortez, and the Arctic. I want to see a sea turtle lay its eggs. All the trips will hinge on how well we retire...with the current state of the world...might now happen in this lifetime! These are goals that will happen, get my wildlife Rehabilitation license, and personally take in and help a couple of wild animals return to the wild each year. Volunteer at a wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where there are opportunities to help educate the public about wild animals and birds. Volunteer at Corkscrew Sanctuary or another place like it, leading nature/bird walks through the mangroves a couple of days a week. I also found out today....that there is only one other subject that I am as passionate about as nature....DOGS! I went to my first ever AKC dog show...I had a blast! I felt completely at home, and now all of a sudden I am thinking maybe, as I enter the early empty nest part of my life, before we can retire....I might like to get involved in the dog show world to some capacity. It was immensely exciting to find out that there are a lot more fun experiences out there waiting for me in this life....I just have to get out there and and follow my heart! My life does not have to end just because my sons are on their own, I can have another lifetime. I will go back to my humane society and volunteer, and NOT take home any dogs, I can do far more by spending time walking the dogs at the society every week, then taking one in for good. Bucket lists for everyone! Just do it!