The Bucket List We All Need; Advice to Graduates

"The Buried Life" is an 1852 poem about how we get so caught up in day-to-day busywork that we forget to "spend our fire and restless force in tracking out our true, original course."

In that spirit, a couple of Canadian brothers put together a "100 Things To Do Before We Die" list, with items such as "Compete in a krump contest," "Play basketball with President Obama," "Make a toast at a stranger's wedding," and 97 more. Jonnie and Duncan Penn took two weeks off work, borrowed an RV, and tackled the list. They shared the adventure with friends Dave and Ben, and their project is almost like a combination of the movie the Bucket List and the television shows My Name is Earl and Road Rules (another MTV reality series).

Last year as I began watching this project unfold on the internet and now on television, I began to think about students making and setting goals for their lives.  I was tempted to be skeptical of the whole movement, since No. 54 is "to get our own TV series." However, the boys vowed that, for every item they scratch off their list, they'd help a stranger accomplish one of his or her life's goals. The result is very inspiring at times. The series is a testament to friendship, adventure, perseverance, and giving back. And it will make you laugh along the way.

As we recognize our graduating seniors this week, I want to encourage each “student,” young and old, to begin making their “list.”  The theme of my first year at Ole Miss (many years ago) was “this is the first day of the rest of your life.” The action packed years leading up to graduation seem to go by far too quickly, and since those years come around only once, it is important to seize every opportunity to explore, enjoy and live life in the abundance that Jesus talked about while on this earth. (John 10:10) I do hope that as you are forming and reforming your “list” and that you will include "growing as a Disciple" and "being a part of the Church."  

As a Church, we recognize that graduation is a special time in the life of our students.  It is the closing of one chapter in their life and the opening of another.  May we as a Church continually pray for these young people as they begins their next phase of living and as they continue to invest in their growth as Disciples.