Filling the Bucket: Revisiting Dreams, Pilgrimage Plans, and Life Goals

Filling the Bucket: Revisiting Dreams, Pilgrimage Plans, and Life Goals

By a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

Dear Henry,

The other day, I stumbled across a random Twitter post about The Golden Girls. It listed the characters’ ages and, to my horror and amusement, I realized I’m now in their age range. I’m not old, not even close, but it did make me wonder how they qualified as “golden” when most of them (Sophia excluded) were basically middle-aged women. Still, it nudged me into reflecting on my own “big picture” goals and reminded me that my bucket list needs more intentional attention.

One dream that has lingered for years is completing one of the major through-hikes, Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest, something epic and sprawling. But since “the accident,” carrying a heavy pack or sleeping on the ground for months isn’t in the cards. The Camino de Santiago, however, offers a different possibility. Porters, beds, the rhythm of walking pilgrimage miles through Spain, it feels doable, even inviting. And Spain holds its own kind of homecoming for me. I was born at the Naval base in Rota during the Vietnam War. The French Way doesn’t pass through that region, but even so, the idea of returning to the country of my birth tugs at my heart. And, as a Catholic, the Camino is a pilgrimage deeply rooted in the fabric of our spiritual history.

"God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized..."
- St Therese of Lisieux

Of course, “doable” doesn’t mean easy. The Camino stretches nearly 500 miles, and I would need to cover roughly 14 miles a day, ten more than my current average, and I have to be able to maintain that distance before I start, not hope to build strength along the way. My Spanish is shaky too. I can read it beautifully, but speaking it, thanks again to the head trauma, doesn’t always go well. I worry about running into a situation where I need medical language I don’t fully have. Still, I practice.

There is also the reality of accommodations. With blood-flow issues and neurological after-effects, a seven-hour transatlantic flight requires at least a day or two of recovery. That means extra hotel nights, porter fees, and likely flying business class for safety—and that adds up fast. I sometimes wonder if the money would be better spent helping the poor. But that line from St. Thérèse stays with me: “God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized...” It encourages me to continue training, practicing Spanish, and believing that this is possible.

Another old dream has resurfaced: the desire to complete the St. John’s College Great Books program. Years ago, I let myself be talked out of it. It wasn’t “practical,” so I earned a business degree and worked as an accountant. Useful, sure, but not what my heart wanted. Now that I’m retired from the corporate world and building Rite of Fancy, reading the great works of Western literature suddenly feels perfectly sensible. And nothing is stopping me from doing it independently. So beginning August 15, 2022, I’ll start where the St. John’s list begins: The Iliad.

"You will know your vocation by the joy that it brings you."
- Dorothy Day

And then there is the oldest dream of all, land enough for a real garden. Fish and I think Roanoke may finally be “home,” and we’ve started the search for the right space. I’m preparing too, I’ll begin the Master Gardener program this January, and I’m excited for both my own garden and the volunteer work in local community plots.

In the end, my bucket list isn’t a list of escapes, it’s a list of roots. Walking the Camino, reading the great books, building the garden of my dreams…these are the things that feel like me. And while I’ll continue writing military biographies at Everyday Patriot and planning as many road trips as possible, nurturing these deeper desires feels like the next right step.

xoxo,
a.d. elliott

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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