Lists (The Fun Kind)

My freshman year of college, when we have that bright-eyed look of innocent, excited anticipation and expectation that, yes, of course the world is just going to open its hands and throw a possibility-filled pinata in your face for you to beat down and cause a confetti explosion to rain down adventure, I started a list of "Lifelong Goals." I'm not one of those who makes goals for necessary things like impending work deadlines and such, but I'll make a "goal" any day of the week for things I want to do. You know, something like, "Become an acrobat who does cartwheels on the back of a horse while wearing ballet shoes and a fancy dress." (That was when I was just a kid. I put that dream to rest at least 3 years ago.)

I was just reminded of how fun it was to make that list and to add to it over the years. I highly recommend it. Just write down whatever wonderfully irrational, obscure and over-the-top goals you have! It's liberating. I thought I'd share a few of mine. For inspiration...

• Start playing the violin (Took that up as an adult, and even though a monkey with one arm could play better than me, the idea of following through was worth trying it.)
• Learn American sign language. (Tried to teach myself in high school. I have no one in my sphere of influence who is hearing impaired, and I'm not willing to look crazy by communicating to myself via sign language. So, that goal's been on hiatus.)
• Travel Europe. (Been to 3 countries, going to one more soon, sooo...only about, what, 17 more to go?)
• Visit Greece
• Have a book published. (Came close. If editing, researching and "tweaking" your boss's published book counts. I say it does.)
• Start taking horseback riding lessons again. (Hoping to start that soon. If it won't cause me to give up clean water and shelter in order to afford it.)
• Start dancing again. (Done. The performing part, however....still craving that.)

So, those are a few of my own goals for my life. It's interesting, though: Even though some of these haven't happend or have only been barely started, I'm realizing I've accomplished other "goals" that I never even knew I needed to include in my list. Those are usually the decisions God made for me. Which is why those are the ones that have kind of blown my mind. He does that.

Just Michelle