On Aug. 17, Dave Freeman, 47-year-old coauthor of the book "100 Things to Do Before You Die" actually died.
With normal life expectancy in the upper 70s, someone with such a proclaimed plan for life hardly seems a candidate for the cemetery.
Freeman died after hitting his head (which really makes me worry about my own fate). He had apparently done about half of the adventuresome activities suggested in his book that may initially strike you as distressing.
Kudos to Freeman for not only deciding what he wanted to do but also doing, well, some of it.
I too, have maintained a list of things to do before I die. I still have the original from when I was 10 years old. It is, of course, appropriately titled, "Things to do before I die."
While Freeman's list includes attending the Academy Awards and running with the bulls in the Spain, mine is a bit more catered to a child freshly in double digits.
I want to pet a polar bear (it's always been my favorite animal), win some type of eating contest (I can really pack some pastries); be in the audience of the 'Oprah Winfrey Show' (duh), run a marathon (I've done four halves); crochet an afghan (I made a rug once); and go to Italy (check).
Studying in Italy last semester was an absolutely amazing item to cross off my list and I've been all the more audacious because of my trip. Saving thousands of dollars and learning to live in another culture has taught me that nothing is too daunting.
I even skipped off to Switzerland for little skiing in the Alps. I will someday run a marathon and if I can do that, I can do anything. I just need to eliminate the word 'someday' and keep in mind that 26.2 miles is only twice 13.1.
I think the lesson that Freeman's untimely death teaches is that obviously no one knows when their number is up and we'd all do better to live with some goals in mind, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. I mean, I could probably harass the Maryland Zoo enough to scratch the head of a polar bear for at least a few strokes. And I could certainly start expanding my capacity for donuts.
One of my favorite movies is "For the Love of the Game," not necessarily because it's that great, but mainly because Kevin Costner is the hottest older man ever. Anyway, in the movie, Costner portrays a major league baseball pitcher who, at the end of the movie (yes, I ruin the ending here because you should have seen it by now), achieves a no-hitter in his last career outing. I have always thought about what 'Billy Chapel's' life must have been like after that no-hitter.
Of course he gets the glory and the girl, but what comes next? You have to hope he picks up basketball and joins the NBA or something.
It's so enjoyable to live life with ambitions, even if I am never able to perform the perfect yoga class. Each time I lay down my yoga mat is a chance to stay absolutely still in 'standing bow, pulling pose' for all four sets.
So, as for Freeman, maybe he was blessed to pass while he was still completing activities he set out to do, never mind the irony of dying before doing them 'before dying.'
I think it's best to replace each accomplished goal with a new one. People love to throw around the phrase, "Live each day like it were your last," but who really does that?
Life will never be a series of no-hitters, perfect yoga classes, daily marathons or weekly trips to Italy but at least we can keep it interesting. Do yourself a favor and consider inventing a new ice cream flavor to send to Ben and Jerry's, taking pictures for 'National Geographic,' learning Arabic, or skiing in the Swiss Alps.
Just try not to hit your head…Freeman learned that one the hard way.
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