Believe it or not last night was the first time I actually watched the movie The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.  What a great movie.  Two total strangers, one deadly killer that they shared between them and a lifetime worth of memories rolled up into a 3-6 month time frame.  I could relate to that movie on so many levels.  It was especially sad to see the part where Morgan Freeman’s character Carter returns home to his wife after all of his adventures on the bucket list were completed. They had a great dinner and his wife and him were about to have some “private time” and when she walks out of the bathroom all you can see is his feet as he was seizing because of his illness.

I often think if that is what my Dad’s final moments were like.  I think I have such a clear picture of what happened I remember it like I was there but I was an hour away.  My Dad was sitting on the edge of the bed, turned to answer a question my Mom asked and then fell face first into the wall while getting ready for church.  By the time my sister turned him over he was blue and CPR was futile. Dead of a heart attack at 57.   It really hit home with me yesterday.

One of the things that both Carter and Jack Nicholson’s character, Edward, enjoyed was an African safari.  My fiance even commented on how cool it would be to go on an African safari.  All of the other places they had gone too, she didn’t really say much but Africa she wanted to go to, just like my Dad.  He had always wanted to go on an African safari but never got around to it.  Everytime I see something like an African safari I am dissappointed that he did not get a chance to go.  It is important for everybody to do exactly what they want to do in this life, for you only get one chance.  You better make the most of it because do-overs are not on the schedule.

The Bucket List is a great movie for many reasons.  First, it forces us to realize there are a lot of people who are going through a lot more serious crap then the mundane things in life we take for granted such as somebody cutting us off when we are driving or waiting in line for things.  Second, live every day and every minute.  Time is infinite, you are not.  Last, it was just a well-acted darn good movie.  It is well worth the endearing lessons the movie offers you.

I started making my Bucket List today have you?????

Always a friend to listen,

Eric Tomei-author I Miss My Dad

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