Bucket List

I watched this movie, Bucket List, sometime last week. It literally means "Kick-the-bucket" list :a list of things-to-do before you die. The movie shows two men who were told they had half a year to live. A single rich man (Jack Nicholson) and a mechanic with close family (Morgan Freeman) who met at this moment and impact each other lives together.

The Bucket List
1. Witness something truly majestic
2. Help a complete stranger for a common good
3. Laugh till I cry
4. Drive a Shelby mustang
5. Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
6. Get a tattoo
7. Skydiving
8. See the pyramids
9. Get back in touch with ...(a daughter)
10. ???

I can always remember this ironic saying, "The moment you are born, it is the moment you start dying." True.. so why wait till a doctor tells you that he/she can't help you and you have a few more months to live. Or why wait till, touch wood, a calamity happens and you plead with God for a few more days to live.

I believe we should always live our days to the fullest. Carpe Diem! Even though I still waste my time away, I still write down my resolutions yearly which I follow about 30-40% and carry forward the rest.

I pen down my resolutions based on a few categories which are summarised roughly as follows:
1. Character - Promises to be more patient, wake up early, love my parents more, be more appreciative of the people around me, etc.
2. Physical - Exercise more, eat right.
3. Mental - Keep my brain working by learning a new instrument or language, read books, etc.
4. Experience - To do something I have never done before in my entire life.

Interesting to highlight; I started item number 4 a few years back. Things I considered new to me were like: finally going to Disneyland, took personal studio photograph (wedding pictures should not count as you have to share the limelight with the groom) and going to new places like Cambodia.

Hmmm.. perhaps I should put the bar higher. What new things should I do this year? As I ponder how I should impact the world or wonder what exactly is my purpose in this life, I am reminded of Simon Birch.


Simon Birch is a child afflicted with a dwarfism syndrome. The movie shows Simon's deep-seated belief that God put him here for a purpose, that because of his faith, Simon would cope with his dwarfism and overcome people's blindness. He strongly believed he would become a hero as shown in the following dialogue from the movie.

Simon Birch: Does God have a plan for us?
Rev. Russell: I like to think He does.
Simon Birch: -Me too. I think God made me the way I am for a reason.
Rev. Russell: Well, I'm glad that, um, that your faith, uh, helps you deal with your, um...you know, your, your condition.
Simon Birch: That's not what I mean. I think I'm God's instrument - that He's gonna use me to carry out His plan.

And some funny dialogues...

[This is a scene where Simon being small can't walk/run as fast as a normal kid like Joe.]
Simon Birch: Not so fast. Slow down. I'm a miracle, you know.
Joe Wenteworth: Yeah, yeah.

Rev. Russell: Simon, what do you think you're doing sitting in a corner?
Simon Birch: Thinking about God.
Rev. Russell: In a corner?
Simon Birch: Faith is not in a floor plan.

[Swimming at the quarry.]
Joe Wenteworth: Oh! Oh, man. That's cold.
Simon Birch: It's freezing!
Joe Wenteworth: My balls just turned into prunes.
Simon Birch: My balls just turned into raisins.

I bet you laughed Ms Choo!! :P