For most of us common people, or aam aadmi as they say (the term is in vogue now), life is a vicious circle of mundane inanities - office-home-grocery-cooking - and then the next day, the same routine. Trying to make both ends meet takes away a big chunk of our time, in fact why just a big chunk, it in fact takes away almost all of our time. And day after day after day, life keeps passing - spent in a flurry of day-to-day activities.
At times when these mundane inanities get the better of me, I try and take a step back and amuse myself with random musings. I day dream, I build castles in the air, I imagine a better and relaxed future, and I create bucket lists - bucket lists that keep me going, keep me full of hope and positivity and give me zest for life. And I have firm belief that my bucket list can become a reality, if I plan my financial future with care - spend money judiciously and be prudent in investments. Of course that would be a near ideal situation, a life free of constraints and limitations. And if this comes out true and then I have my bucket list ready to fully exploit the good fortune I will find myself bestowed with.
So here are the top 5 things on my bucket list that I will want to strike off right away, when given a chance:
1. Travel as much as I can - Topmost wish on my bucket list is to travel as much as I can. I do not wish to travel the world, no, but rather have the luxury to travel any place that catches my fancy, and be able to independently spend quality time there. A month in a quiet Himalayan village one time and wandering around busy Varanasi ghats the other, that's the kind of travelling I would indulge in.
2. Open a book cafe - To own a book cafe of my own is a long standing dream, and if I really get to secure my future, I will make sure that this dream comes true. A cosy book store cum cafe in a peaceful part of the city would be like my own little heaven. Everyone would be welcome to spend quality time there, browse the fine selection of books and sip endless cups of piping hot masala tea.
3. Start a subsidised kitchen for daily wagers - Another long cherished wish is to start a subsidised kitchen or canteen for those who have to work very hard to even put a together two square meals for their families. A kitchen running without any profit motive and providing simple but healthy and filling meals can be of great help to such people. What an incredible opportunity it would be to help feed poor people and earn good karma in return.
4. Have enough savings for sundry whims and fancies - My bucket list also features sundry whims that catch my fancy very now and then. Go paragliding in Sikkim, cliff jumping in Hrishikesh, be on a broccoli and corn diet for a week, go shopping all 7 days of the week for a week, so on and so forth. The whims keeps evolving every other day for it also keeps me entertained during boring times.
5. Own a mountain retreat - A cosy little cottage high up in the mountains - now that's a grand wish. And very fanciful too. I am sure many of us have this fanciful wish running in their hearts and minds. If there were no constraints limiting us, we'd all love to own our own piece of paradise somewhere in the mountains.
So these were some of the topmost listings of my bucket list. I understand it's easy to dismiss bucket lists as fanciful ideas, but in fact our bucket lists should rather inspire us to plan our plan our financial future in a such a manner that these fanciful ideas actually become a reality.
In this context IDBI Federal's quirky 'Befikar, Umar Bhar' video has has got people to sit up and do a think through about their financial scheme of things.
This post is a part of IDBI Federal's Befikar, Umar Bhar Happy Hour campaign on Indiblogger.
Photo courtesy: Life Story
