Things I want to do Before I Die

I had this pain in my right knee since the last 2 months or so, and as usual I did not go to the doctor thinking that I'm totally fit and it shall subside. The pain aggravated this week and finally yesterday I went for a checkup. The verdict: I may have arthritis. Arthritis? Me? But I'm still very young for it. OK, I do say often that I'm old and I cant do many things which I may have done a few years ago but I'm definitely too young for arthritis. I mean it happens to people in their 50s. Even the doc was a little shocked. He has given me medicines for three days and said that if the pain still dose'nt subside, I shall have to have an X ray done. I just hope that its not arthritis but just some minor problem due to the tennis that Ive been playing for the last 3 months or so. I had forgotten to mention this to him.

But this got me thinking. Ive just been taking life for granted thinking that I've still got a lot of time on my hands to do whatever I wanted to do in life. And in the bargain Ive forgotten that my body is getting older. And there are so many things that I haven't done but want to. It was a moment when I actually thought that even though I say that I dont mind dying now since life has not been that great and not maany will be effected if I die, but there are still many things which I actually have'nt done and wold like to do. So here is the list of things which I want to do before I die.

1. Travel. Travel to Europe especially Ireland, travel to all the states in North East India. Visit Andamans again and again and again.

2. Do bungee jumping,white water rafting and paragliding ( that's the closest you can get to actually flying), snookering in the pristine waters of andaman again.

3. Go for long walks in Rishikesh alone just like I went last year.

4. Visit Panchgani in the rains and go cycling till Pratapgarh. Stay there in a cute Parsi bungalow.

5. Go on a solo trip to Uttaranchal especially the Valley of Flowers.And this time when I go there, try to have a conversation with the sadhus there.

6. Go for a party with friends and dance without any inhibitions on the dance floor. (I'm a terrible dancer and most of the times I'm extremely shy to dance).

7. Buy a fancy car. Not for me but my mom would love it if I take her on long drive in my own car.

8. Send my parents on a trip abroad.

9. Join a salsa class, a photography class, learn swimming

And most important of the lot:

10. Beat the shit out of child abusers and rapists.

11. Join an organisation working for street children and try to bring childhood back to the life of at least one child.

12. Adopt a daughter.

13. Say how much I love my parents even though Ive been a terrible daughter and how much I am indebted to them for tolerating me and standing by me when I needed them.

14. A big thank you to my friends who have stood by me during the most testing period of my life. Thank you is too small a word for whatever they have done for me. But if it was not for them I would have been writing this today. So thank you Vidya and Amita and Sanjay and Jatin. Especially Vidya. You have been a rock.

15. Say sorry to someone for all the nasty things I have ever said to him. Trust me, Im not all that bad.

I hope I can manage to do all these things else when I'm actually old/when my body no longer is capable of doing this, I shall regret not having done it when I could've done it.

But most of this requires lots (quite a bit) of money for which I have to go to office, which leaves me no time to even think of ll this. And it all becomes embroiled in a vicious circle....

I wonder what others want to do before they die....