http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/delia/14886 Growing up poor in a small west Texas town, my future dreams were very simple.&nbsp; I wanted to marry a wonderful man, become a mom, own more than two pairs of shoes and live in a house that had a sidewalk, instead of a dirt path.&nbsp; Thirty eight years later, I can say I definitely exceeded my youthful expectations. As I approach my 40s, I have decided to create a new set of goals; Call it my life&rsquo;s list, if you will.&nbsp; A life list is similar to New Year&rsquo;s Resolutions with more items and and a expected longer deadline. As I sat down to create my list the first four items came pretty easy: &nbsp; 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn Spanish. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trace my family heritage. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Experience salsa dancing. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stay at the Hotel De Coronado. &nbsp; Given that this is my life&rsquo;s life, I asked a couple of friends for suggestions. &ldquo;Is there anyone you want to reconcile with?&rdquo; one asked.&nbsp; &ldquo;No, I have the wonderful fortune of having no personal grudges,&rdquo; I replied.&nbsp; &ldquo;How about going skydiving?&rdquo; suggested another.&nbsp; &ldquo;No, I have a healthy respect of heights,&rdquo; I explained.&nbsp; But while talking to them. I did come up with another idea: &nbsp; 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Write a children&rsquo;s book. &nbsp; I also mentioned my quest to my husband, who chucked about it and reminded me that he wanted no part in this.&nbsp; This helped spark two more items: &nbsp; 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn to play tennis. 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Attend a professional boxing match. &nbsp; As I looked at other people&rsquo;s life lists online, I came across the list created by John Goddard&rsquo;s.&nbsp;John Goddard wrote his list at the age of 15, consisting of 127 goals. To date, he has accomplished 108.&nbsp;His passions included visiting far away places, exploring foreign jungles, performing dangerous feats and visiting space.&nbsp; My life is much simpler.&nbsp; I am more interested in things close to home and exploring the United States before I visit abroad.&nbsp;But his list did give me a few more ideas: &nbsp; 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Help build a house for a local Habitat for Humanity. 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Visit Yosemite National Park. 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take a college course. &nbsp; For my final two items, I sought the advice of my 18-year-old daughter, and I came up with these: &nbsp; 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take my children on a family trip to the Grand Canyon. 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Record my childhood memories for my children. &nbsp; As she watched me struggle in selecting my items, she asked, &ldquo;Isn&rsquo;t there anything you really want to do, Mom?&rdquo; &ldquo;Not, really,&rdquo; I replied. &ldquo;I am quite content with my life.&rdquo; At that moment, I realized I&rsquo;ve successfully accomplished what may be the one item on everyone&rsquo;s list &mdash; finding happiness. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Growing up poor in a small west Texas town, my future dreams were very simple.&nbsp; I wanted to marry a wonderful man, become a mom, own more than two pairs of shoes and live in a house that had a sidewalk, instead of a dirt path.&nbsp; Thirty eight years later, I can say I definitely exceeded my youthful expectations. As I approach my 40s, I have decided to create a new set of goals; Call it my life&rsquo;s list, if you will.&nbsp; A life list is similar to New Year&rsquo;s Resolutions with more items and and a expected longer deadline. As I sat down to create my list the first four items came pretty easy: &nbsp; 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn Spanish. 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trace my family heritage. 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Experience salsa dancing. 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stay at the Hotel De Coronado. &nbsp; Given that this is my life&rsquo;s life, I asked a couple of friends for suggestions. &ldquo;Is there anyone you want to reconcile with?&rdquo; one asked.&nbsp; &ldquo;No, I have the wonderful fortune of having no personal grudges,&rdquo; I replied.&nbsp; &ldquo;How about going skydiving?&rdquo; suggested another.&nbsp; &ldquo;No, I have a healthy respect of heights,&rdquo; I explained.&nbsp; But while talking to them. I did come up with another idea: &nbsp; 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Write a children&rsquo;s book. &nbsp; I also mentioned my quest to my husband, who chucked about it and reminded me that he wanted no part in this.&nbsp; This helped spark two more items: &nbsp; 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn to play tennis. 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Attend a professional boxing match. &nbsp; As I looked at other people&rsquo;s life lists online, I came across the list created by John Goddard&rsquo;s.&nbsp;John Goddard wrote his list at the age of 15, consisting of 127 goals. To date, he has accomplished 108.&nbsp;His passions included visiting far away places, exploring foreign jungles, performing dangerous feats and visiting space.&nbsp; My life is much simpler.&nbsp; I am more interested in things close to home and exploring the United States before I visit abroad.&nbsp;But his list did give me a few more ideas: &nbsp; 8.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Help build a house for a local Habitat for Humanity. 9.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Visit Yosemite National Park. 10.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take a college course. &nbsp; For my final two items, I sought the advice of my 18-year-old daughter, and I came up with these: &nbsp; 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Take my children on a family trip to the Grand Canyon. 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Record my childhood memories for my children. &nbsp; As she watched me struggle in selecting my items, she asked, &ldquo;Isn&rsquo;t there anything you really want to do, Mom?&rdquo; &ldquo;Not, really,&rdquo; I replied. &ldquo;I am quite content with my life.&rdquo; At that moment, I realized I&rsquo;ve successfully accomplished what may be the one item on everyone&rsquo;s list &mdash; finding happiness. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; en-us Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:40:13 PDT <p>De, I loved reading this and knowing you made it even better.  You are a person who has accomplished so much and yet is so hard on herself.  Getting to met you and work with you was one of the highlights of my life and you are a wonderful teacher as I learned so much from you. This also reflects in your work. your wonderful children, and in the people whoes lifes you have touched.  May you achieve all you wish in life you deserve the best.  I have always said that when I stop learning plant me, because life is one big learning adventure.  Creating goals to is another part of learning and lifes never ending dance.  </p> http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/delia/14886/#c_144566 http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/delia/14886/#c_144566 <p>De, I loved reading this and knowing you made it even better.  You are a person who has accomplished so much and yet is so hard on herself.  Getting to met you and work with you was one of the highlights of my life and you are a wonderful teacher as I learned so much from you. This also reflects in your work. your wonderful children, and in the people whoes lifes you have touched.  May you achieve all you wish in life you deserve the best.  I have always said that when I stop learning plant me, because life is one big learning adventure.  Creating goals to is another part of learning and lifes never ending dance.  </p> <p>You mentioned &quot;write my childhood memories for my children&quot;...I'd love to offer my assistance if you like. I am partnered with a wonderful company that helps families do exactly that, bridge the gap between generations, write &quot;our life stories&quot;, connect and deepen the bonds between loved ones, create memorable keepsakes that tell you story in a beautiful way. </p> <p>Contact me via email <a href="mailto:jennx3k@sbcglobal.net">jennx3k@sbcglobal.net</a> or visit my website at <a href="http://www.afairytalefamily.com">www.afairytalefamily.com</a></p> <p>I am inspired by your desire to leave a legacy for your children. Have a great day!</p> <p>~Jennifer</p> http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/delia/14886/#c_144823 http://www.bakersfieldvoice.com/home/Blog/delia/14886/#c_144823 <p>You mentioned &quot;write my childhood memories for my children&quot;...I'd love to offer my assistance if you like. I am partnered with a wonderful company that helps families do exactly that, bridge the gap between generations, write &quot;our life stories&quot;, connect and deepen the bonds between loved ones, create memorable keepsakes that tell you story in a beautiful way. </p> <p>Contact me via email <a href="mailto:jennx3k@sbcglobal.net">jennx3k@sbcglobal.net</a> or visit my website at <a href="http://www.afairytalefamily.com">www.afairytalefamily.com</a></p> <p>I am inspired by your desire to leave a legacy for your children. Have a great day!</p> <p>~Jennifer</p>