Before I die...

Talking to a good friend this afternoon, we shared our feelings of shock and sadness at Tom's death, and she observed that we are maybe at the stage in life when friends will begin to leave us suddenly, "before their time..."
What, we wondered, should we do in the next few years, to ensure that we avoided too many "if only"s when our time is done.

Then, fortuitously I presume, Jonny posted a link to this project
Hundreds of people are photographed together with with a sentence "Before I die I want to...."
Interesting, poignant and occasionally surprising reading.

In this vein, I always remember the words of the much-missed Mike Yaconelli
(another who went too soon)

If I were to have a heart attack right at this moment, I hope I would have just enough air in my lungs and just enough strength in me to utter one last sentence as I fell to the floor: "What a ride!" My life has been up and down, careening left then right, full of mistakes and bad decisions, and if I died right now, even though I would love to live longer, I could say from the depths of my soul, "What a ride!"

I want a lifetime of holy moments. Every day I want to be in dangerous proximity to Jesus. I long for a life that explodes with meaning and is filled with adventure, wonder, risk, and danger.

So...here are some of my "Before I die" wishes...

• to return to India with my children and swim once again in the Indian ocean
  
• to see the Northern Lights
• to visit Africa and see the places that mean so much to Hugger Steward
• to see my children happy and beloved
  
• to open my home to those who need a loving refuge
• to write something I am really pleased with
• to mend or let go of broken relationships
• to relish here and now, wherever they may be

What about you?