Lessons from The Bucket List

The Bucket List is a movie about two men, Carter (Morgan Freeman) and Edward (Jack Nicholson) whose paths crossed when they were admitted into the same hospital for treatment of cancer. Carter, who was black, was a gifted amateur historian and a family man who had wanted to be a history professor. However, side-tracked by the economic realities of his early life, Carter was unable to realize his dream and he worked as a mechanic for his entire life. He had been married for forty five years and had three children who were successful in life.

Edward was a caustic and bitter billionaire and was a loner. He owned many hospitals, had divorced four times and was estranged from his only daughter. He had everything money could buy except a stable family. His hospitals practised a policy of not allowing any patient, without exception, to have a single room; hence, he had to share a room with Carter. They had a stormy relationship due to their completely different personalities.

Carter's history professor had encouraged his students to develop a list of all the things they had ever wanted to do before they "kick the bucket"...a list of life's goals, a road map of one's life, so to speak. Suffering from a terminal illness and confined in a hospital gave him time to reflect on what he wanted to do for the rest of his life and he developed such a list. However, when his doctor told him that he had less than a year to live, he threw away the list in disappointment. Edward found the list in a trash can and, with Carter's permission, he added his own list of things that he had always wanted to do. His list included some grandiose goals - such as skydiving and motor car racing - compared to Carter's modest goals.

For all their apparent differences, they discovered they had two very important things in common; an unrealized need to come to terms with who they were and the choices they'd made, and a pressing desire to spend the time they had left doing everything they ever wanted to do. So, against doctor's advice and all good sense, they embarked on an adventure, financed by Edward, to live out their dreams which took them around the world. Adding and crossing items off their list while taking in the grandeur and beauty of the world, they grappled with difficult questions and even more difficult answers that plagued all of us. Without even realizing it, they became friends.

I enjoyed the movie for the messages that were conveyed. Firstly, although money can make one powerful and comfortable in life, it cannot buy happiness.

It also taught us that we should not judge a person by his/her station in life - although Carter was a black man who never rose above his position as a mechanic, he was a cultured, learned, man and his three children were all successful professionals in their own fields.

While in hospital, Carter realized that for a long time, he was feeling less in love with his wife of 45 years. However, during the journey, he discovered that he actually had deep feelings for her and he promised himself that he would show his love for her when he returned...doesn't this sound familiar...we sometimes take people we love for granted and we miss them only when they are not around?

Carter also played a role in reconciling Edward with his estranged daughter. When Edward took the bold step to swallow his pride and made up with his daughter, he found out to his surprise that his daughter readily accepted him - how many times have we been too proud to apologize for our past mistakes and make up with people who matter to us? Instead, we continue to harbour grudges that continue to eat into us.

Last, but not least, it is not too late for all of us to start working on our own bucket list....a positive list of our life's goals....and the changes that we must make to achieve these goals.