Life

In the fall of 2005 I took a riverboat trip down the Yangtze River. Living in extremely confined quarters with a group of 28 college students for a week was often trying and occasionally rewarding. While on the trip, a friend and I sat down with our journals and decided that we were going to begin our lists of things we wanted to accomplish with our lives. The idea started when Tom heard a NPR story about a man who had passed away somewhat recently. Early in his life, he made a list of things he wanted to accomplish before his death. During his wake, his family hung the list in the funeral home and every single item on his list was checked off.

After two and a half years, it seems like time to make the list public. I'm happy to say that I've accomplished some of the items, added to the list, and removed things that don't make sense. The things on this list range from academic to personal and from enormous trips to learning carpentry. I'm glad I took the time to write this in 2005 and even happier that I finally took a chance to revisit it now.

The Life Goals List
Bethlehem for Christmas
Cairo
Trans-Siberian Express
Visit the Church of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. Climb the stairs on your knees.
Trekking in Bhutan
Week at the monastery in Taize
Learn (or make the best attempt to learn) Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Greek (x)
Biblical Schloar: Gospel of John or Pentateuch
Ph. D.
MA Theology
Complete a book of short stories
Complete a poetry manuscript
Children's fantasy novel
Publish an essay on Sin & Redemption in Tolkien
Spend a week in Thomas Merton's monastery
Backpack the Pacific Crest Trail
Ironwoman
Learn carpentry
Touch all the continents
Be in Mexico for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Kayak around the arctic circle
See Carmen in France
Hug a redwood in California (x)
See the Mississippi Headwaters (x)