The high-pressure work and study leave me and my loved one no chance to catch our breath. Besides work, we hardly have time to enjoy the pleasures of life. During our bedtime chats, we often talk about "after this busy period, by this time next year, we must...". We have made many interesting wishes, but when we wake up, we may not remember any of them.
Ten years ago, when I was young and naive, all I wanted was to study hard and have a career to contribute to humanity. Now, I hope to have my own time and enjoy peaceful moments, fulfilling one small wish after another hidden in my heart. No longer just focusing on those lofty goals and neglecting the beauty outside of work and life. When the pandemic first eased, a young professor in his forties, who had just been hired by the school, passed away. He should have been showcasing his talent to the fullest. Looking back on my four years of undergraduate studies, I did work hard. Major courses, minors, student organizations, my life was packed with studying and working. I am satisfied with myself, but also regretful. Looking back on my college life, it seems like there weren't many happy moments besides studying. No memories of skipping classes with roommates, no colorful experiences in clubs. It feels like another four years of high school life, somewhat dull. Tomorrow and accidents, I really don't know which one will come first. Instead of sacrificing all my desires for an unseen future, it's better to create small but shining moments in the present. At least when reviewing my life, it's not just about work and study.
To motivate myself to live a better life, I decided to write down my life wish list. These wishes are things I want to do or items I want to have someday in the future. Writing them down is to make me aware of how many unfulfilled wishes I have had. Displaying them is also to motivate myself to achieve the goals I once set.
Before making a wish, I need to ask myself:
- Is it realistic?
- Is there a clear deadline?
- Will I regret it if it's not fulfilled?
I don't want to rush to write down 100 wishes, as if it's a task to be completed. After all, there will always be new wishes in the future. I just hope that when I'm old, I can open this list and illuminate the declining neurons in my brain, activating the network called memory.
Life is short, and I have written my own wish list was originally published on Jack's Space