Just Three Weeks Left

Recently I had the pleasure of reading a book that had the power to change my life. Jill Smolinski’s "The Next Thing on My List" not only captured me from page one, it did something that ordinary novels rarely do- it challenged me to live my life to its fullest and make the most of every opportunity. The story revolves around June, the lone survivor of a tragic car accident. When Marissa, the acquaintance in the seat next to her fails to regain consciousness, June is left with feelings of guilt and complacency in her own life. Quite by accident, she recovers a partially completed list of things that Marissa was planning to accomplish before her 25th birthday. Born out of a sense of duty to the victim’s family and a need to appease her own guilt, June vows to finish what Marissa started and complete each item on the list. With each item checked off, June discovers that it is possible to make a difference in the world around her. She learned how to take risks, have fun, and be open to new possibilities she would have otherwise avoided. Despite the profanity and questionable content (this is not a kid’s book) I was drawn into the story because it aroused questions within my spirit that begged to be answered. Are there things in my own life that I would like to see accomplished? Am I living every day to its full potential? What inspires me and gets me excited? How will I be remembered after I’m gone? Immediately after I read the last word in the last chapter, I set about constructing my own list. Starting on August 1st, I am giving myself one year to complete my own 20 things I want to accomplish before my next birthday. Just as June realized that she would need help and encouragement, so I will as well. I encourage you to check in with me frequently to see how I’m progressing and offer help if you are able. I doubt that I will be able to do everything all by myself. I have three weeks to prepare for this monumental task. During this time I plan on keeping my mind open to the possibility of revisions to the list (will I add any more tasks to it?), enjoying the freedom I have to eat chocolate before it’s completely written out of my diet for a year, and coming up with creative ideas to outsmart my neighborhood pests. More to come, so stay tuned! In the meantime, if you happen to come up with any suggestions to add to the list, let me know. I have 20 but I’m not opposed to new additions. I will post the final draft in three weeks. Stay tuned!