The Checklist!!

Checklist for life/living! Here’s what I gathered from my various interactions, with various people and is inclusive of all the classes, ages etc etc etc… This is my understanding!

All of us need to review a checklist of activities and this captures a few of the most important ones in one’s life…in the present, past and future tenses! Iam kind of mid-way in life and hence the tenses are mixed up! :)

Have I got better marks all through my education?
Do I Look good?
Did I go to a well-known college?
Do/Did I have a girl/boy friend?
Am I having FUN?
Did I find a job in a big company?
Do I work for a big brand?
Do I go out to the ‘right places’?
Am I enjoying life?
Have I found the right life partner?
Do I have a ‘Happy Married Life’? (Someone once said, you could have a happy life or a married life…Hahahaha Hey Iam not endorsing this view ;))
Am I enjoying my life?
Did I get that promotion?
Do I have a child? (Or Children)
Do my kids speak good English, have good manners, and demonstrate intellectual and entertainment abilities? (More than one could ask of a ‘Mature’ and ‘Grown-up’ individual)
Do my kids go to an elite school?
Do I own a house and a ‘decent’ car?
Am I happy? Am I enjoying my life?
Have I made ‘influential’ friends and do I have status and do I get the respect?
Do I go on international vacation trips?
Have I planned for the next 5, 10, 15 years … to retirement? (This is what I call preparing for death and forgetting to live)
Do people consult me for advice?
Do I handle situations well?
Do people respect and appreciate me?
Do I have a big fat bank balance?
Have I saved enough?
Do I teach Lessons?
Is god with me?
Am I happy?
Did I enjoy life?

I always said to people who talk about planning and all other superficial comforts, using the convenience of a mysterious language called English, that they are preparing for death and forgetting to live! Why? Simply because LIFE is in the moment that we are alive not in the next 50 years when we retire!! I have been trying to follow a different checklist and believe me it is making life ‘Miserably Interesting and Exciting’

Am I literate or educated?
Am I good?
Do I work for money or for passion?
Am I working for a company or with a company?
Have I built a brand? What’s my brand?
Am I married for convenience or for love? Have I been the reason for happiness?
Have I demonstrated values for my children to learn and practice?
Do I have a HOME?
Do my people KNOW me?
Do I talk or act?
Have I done my good deed for the day, everyday?
Do I respect and appreciate people (all living things, actually)?
Did I conserve/preserve?
Do I create happiness?
Have I 'SEEN' the world?
Do I have a ‘VISION'?
Did I make a ‘difference’ to anyone in this world?
Do I matter to the ones who matter?
Do I understand and respect EMOTIONS and FEELINGS?
Do I create positive situations?
Have I had a positive impact/influence on the society?
Do I COMMUNICATE? Have I said the truth?
Have I gone beyond the superficial biases and prejudices?
Do I share experiences?
Do I believe in conscientious living?
Have I smiled enough?
Is life enjoyable?

I think we should ‘Take time and smell the roses’! In my opinion, while life is about intentions and actions, I (we) could do a little more by using in essence, the orientation and Interpretation!