The Bucket List: We have all heard this term and probably understand that this is generally known as a list of things one would want to accomplish before “kicking the bucket”. For many of us, retirement is that opportunity to reach into our bucket and pull-out items that we may have thought about for many years but didn’t have the time to do, or other priorities forced us to put them on the back burner. But now we find ourselves in a great place, with time on our hands, and maybe even some discretionary funds.
I visualize my bucket with slips of paper with places to visit and things to do written on them. 
I plan (and hope) to carry around my bucket for a long time, and eventually complete each task. I think of them as individual items in a job jar, like in the Hi and Lois cartoon. I like this method because a checklist implies a set order, and I don’t want to work my way down a list because circumstances and opportunities may come along that work better with flexibility and spontaneity.
That is what I appreciate about The Villages Recreation and Parks tabloid schedule (every Thursday in The Daily Sun). With over 3000 lifestyle clubs, there is always a variety of choices to suit anyone’s bucket list from A to Z – Art to Zumba. Whether you have always wanted to draw or paint, learn line dance or ballroom dance, SCUBA dive or sail a boat….whatever your heart’s desire is, it is probably in there, and more.
In addition to those scheduled events, we can always golf, go fishing, bowl in a league, and indulge our passion for a variety of athletic activities to stay active and healthy. Beyond The Villages there are unlimited opportunities to do things you have always wanted to do with access to all the major theme parks, the Atlantic or Gulf coasts to see the beaches, sail the waters, watch the spacecraft launches, and take cruises to anywhere you want to go; from the Caribbean to South America, and even to Europe.
When we were planning to move here, we met with our financial advisor and she said “John, we need to plan for you to live longer here, because you will”. I didn’t fully understand her at the time but now I understand that people who are active and happy live longer. If I tried to do all the items in my bucket, I would have to live a long time, and that is exactly what I plan to do – and so should you.
Stay safe and healthy,
John Dean, Vice President
vhajohndean@gmail.com
207-557-0371