Living out the bucket list

Right now, my life is feeling a little bit manic. Manic may even be an understatement. I’m in school full time, working full time, running my own editing business, leaving the military, moving across the country, selling my house, and geographically leaving my spouse. I feel overwhelmed. Stressed. A little bit panicked.

The solution to my problem? A little break. So, since I’m already headed out west for work, I thought I’d take a weekend to escape to Tofino, on the west side of Vancouver Island. For those of you who haven’t been there, it’s a pretty magical place. Long, quiet beaches, sloshing ocean waves, and a lack of commercialism that is just so peaceful. February is storm season in Tofino, and for an area of Canada that doesn’t see any real storms (it’s more of a constant rain drizzle), the ones that hit the west coast of the island have the potential to shake you to your core. I’ve got a little cabin to stay in, my writing pad (NO COMPUTER!) and a pen. I can think of nothing else that I might need.

It’s also very close to whale season and so if I’m lucky, I might even see one as I sit on the beach with a glass of wine. Just for the record, on my “List of Things to Do Before I Die," which I made when I was 14, number 102 is to see a whale in the wild. Also on the list:

1.  Publish a book

15.  Take a big career risk (I think I can cross this one off soon!)

41.  Have a complete set of tools (I need a circular saw…then this one is done too.)

42.  Learn how to use them all (Almost there.)

61.  Call someone from a plane phone

70.  Go a day without complaining

78.  Make peace with those I’ve hurt

79.  Make peace with those who hurt me

100.  Have Dad walk me down the aisle.

Yes, I could use a break. And if I can squeeze in some “Bucket List” events, even better. That’s the thing about life: If you never stop striving for goals, it never gets boring.

So tell me, what's on your bucket list?

Kelly