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In the movie "The Bucket List", starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, two cancer patients set out to do all the things that they want to do before they die. Their adventures address the age-old issues of squelched dreams and unfinished business. We all have things we would like to do "some day".

The constraints of life force us to balance our desires against our needs and the needs of the people we are responsible for. Nonetheless, it is a useful exercise to think about how we want to spend the time we have left. Even if we can't do exactly what we want, we might be able to move in that direction. If becoming an archaeologist is out of the question, going on a summer dig or taking a college course might be feasible.

"It's not enough to react to life on a day-by-day basis. People need a road map. Life lists are one of the best ways to plumb the depths of the human psyche," says Caroline Adams Miller, motivational speaker and life coach. She encourages her clients to compile a 100-item list of things they would like to do before they die.

What would go on this list?

*unfinished business. If you wanted to study music and ended up in accounting for reasons that seemed solid and practical at the time, re-visit that old longing.

*failed or interrupted experiences. If you had to come home early from your tour of Spain because your grandmother died, think about booking another one.

*legitimate ambitions that never got off the ground. This could be something as simple as learning to arrange flowers, or as complex as starting your own business.

*wild dreams. You may not be able to kiss Angelina Jolie, but perhaps you can arrange to get her autograph.

*shared dreams. Maybe you and your spouse have talked about visiting Scotland, taking the kids to Disneyworld, or learning to ride horseback, and never go around to it.

*private longings. Can a 97-pound weakling become a black belt karate champ? Find out!

*anything that brings a smile to your face when you think or daydream about it.

Are you ready to get started? Write down whatever comes to mind, as quickly as possible. Don't try to evaluate the feasibility of anything. Have fun!

After a few sessions of brainstorming, it's time to start refining. Re-write your wildest goals so that they are at least remotely do-able. Combine similar goals. Rank your goals in the order of importance to you. Which ones resonate most deeply?

Now comes the fun part. Do something about your list! Ask yourself: What would I do if I knew for a fact that the world is ending next Tuesday? If my family was going to die in an accident three months from now? If I had only a year to live? Hypothetical questions like this will help you clarify your priorities.

Even a small step will lead to another, and another. Sooner or later, you will end up somewhere you have longed to go. The experience of making your dreams come true will shed light on your whole life, and on the lives of those around you.

What are you waiting for?

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