In the early 20th century, American Science Fiction writer Robert Heinlein wrote a book called, “The Notebook of Lazarus Long,” in which he included a list of what he believed every human being should be able to do to have a successful life. The list included:
Change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, write a sonnet, balance a chequebook, set a bone, take orders, give orders, pitch manure, cook a tasty meal, comfort the dying, and die gallantly.
That list is the very definition of the word “subjective” and a reflection of a very different time and a very different set of priorities from our own. At best, I think I have fulfilled half of that list, and at least three of those items are just never happening. Although, be honest, who hasn’t secretly wanted to plan an invasion?!
You don’t have to go far to find someone who will tell you what makes for the good life. Poets, musicians, psychologists, pundits, life coaches, preachers, and your mother-in-law have been doing it for years. For a while, I kept a binder of quotes and poems that spoke to me about what I needed to do to optimize my life. Three pieces of writing made it onto my wall in poster form; “If” by Rudyard Kipling, “Desiderata” by Max Ehrman and “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum. If you haven’t read them, I would highly recommend checking them out. There is a lot of wisdom to be found.
What would you include if you could list what you think makes for a successful, good, or happy life? What do you think everyone should do or be able to do in their lifetime?
Here is a list of what I came up with (don’t worry, there is no “butchering a hog”):
- Watch an old black-and-white movie.
- Get a professional massage.
- Build a campfire.
- Do one thing that scares the life out of you.
- Experience a worship service from a different faith tradition.
- Change a tire.
- Order of the kid’s menu.
- Make a pot of soup from scratch.
- Hug someone straight for at least one minute (ask for permission first).
- Invite someone behind you in a line to go ahead of you.
- Get in a car and drive without knowing the destination.
- Let someone off the hook.
- Eat an entire pie by yourself.
- Go sailing.
- Sip a glass of wine on a patio.
- Let a dragonfly land on your toe.
- Visit someone in a hospital.
- Read the fine print just once.
- Tell someone you love them when you are the angriest with them.
- Do something kind that no one will ever find out about.
That was fun to do!! Try it, and then share it. We are all trying to figure life out, so we may as well put our heads together and see what we can come up with.
But not the hog thing. That’s just wrong.
