Living Like It's My Last

A few months ago I lost my mom unexpectedly to a freak plane accident, undoubtably the single hardest thing I have ever had to deal, and cope with, in my entire life.  The funny thing is my mom loved flying - at the time of her passing she was actually on a training flight, studying to get her fixed wing pilot's license! Each week all I would hear her talk about was how many training flights she was going to do and how excited she was for them.  She is and was the most fun-loving, strong, adventurous and contagiously enthusiastic person I have ever had the pleasure of having in my life.  She is my inspiration on the kind of person I want to be, and the thought of her motivates me to get up and keep pushing through each day.  

People ask if I'm scared of airplanes now, and without a hesitation my answer is "no".  I think some are shocked by this, but you had to know my mom to understand she NEVER let fear deter her, she lived in spite of fear.  And you know, I think she's happy the way that she went - doing what she loved, young, and with one of her close friends and co-workers.  If I was going to go, I think that's how I would want it.  She is always with me, my angel, helping me through each day - inspiring me to do what I think I can't and push my boundaries.  I've found a new lease on life through her, and want to do all of the things she never got to, and things I personally have thought about, but maybe been too scared to do in the past.  So maybe it's corny, but I've started a bucket list for my mom and I, and I hope this inspires at least one other person to do the things they have always wanted to do, because we've all heard it, but this has shown me how short life really is.

So here is my personal bucket list (which is constantly growing!) - let me know if any of you have bucket lists too!

• Visit the pyramids in Egypt
• Drive a Nascar race car
• Randomly choose a destination at the airport and take a trip
• Skydive
• Visit Thailand for the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Sky Lantern Festival
• Give someone deserving an unexpected $100 bill
• Fly first class
• Create my very own recipe
• Write a book
• Buy a pair of Christian Louboutins 
• Take my sister on a trip (I was going to do this for my mom for all the trips she's taken us on)
• Become fluent in another language
• Learn to sew clothing
• Kiss in the rain
• Go to India