Melissa Stephens Art

Five years ago, in November 2019, I was listening to the voice of Stacy Julian on her podcast, “Exactly Enough Time.” Stacy is a colorfully bright, positive and passionate memory keeping creative. For many years I’d been an avid reader of her magazine, Simple Scrapbooks (sadly, no longer published), as well as her books, The Big Picture and Photo Freedom. Stacy was interviewing Melissa Gross on the topic of “Big Birthdays & Bucket Lists” , and Melissa was explaining the creative way she’d anticipated her milestone (50^th) birthday. She had assembled a list of 50 things to do, see, learn, read, and explore by age 50! At that time, I was also on the brink of a milestone birthday (55) but, in the month prior to listening to that podcast, I’d lost my mother. Mired in grief, I was not in any way anticipating ways I could creatively celebrate my upcoming big birthday. But the podcast captured my attention and, before I knew it, my hand was trying to keep pace with my racing mind, writing ideas as fast as I could. In no time I had the first draft of what would become my 60 By 60 list (see below).  

Fast forward and here I am, again in November, 5 years older, approaching another, even bigger, milestone birthday (60!), and reviewing my old 60 By 60 list with a rueful smile. Little did I know, in March 2020, a short four months after I finalized my list, the world would shut down, reeling from the effects of a global pandemic. Little did I know we’d be unable to travel. Little did I know we’d be selling our home and leaving the town we’d lived in for 29 years. Little did I know how many of the items that sounded fun and challenging as I added them to my list would, with time, fail to hold my interest. A lot can happen in 5 years, especially these past 5 years, and change, in the world and in who we are, is, most often, unpredictable.

For those reasons and more, I realized it was impossible to stick to the list as if it was a static 5-year plan. Occasionally I adapted an original item, like when I learned dolphins held in captivity are not always treated humanely, I crossed “swim with dolphins” off my list and replaced it with something else.

As Stacy and Melissa’s podcast discussion encouraged, my list included a variety of 60 items to do (run a half marathon), see (the Northern Lights), learn (art & photography), read (not so much poetry, but non-fiction, which was a surprise), and explore (life after retirement) before I turned 60 years old. The items on the list span a range of difficulty, from easy wins (carve a pumpkin) to more complicated undertakings (bike 150 miles over 3 days on the PA GAP trail with my son TJ); as well a variety of price points, from inexpensive (plant milkweed) to big ticket (hike in Bhutan). Looking back now, I see the list as a time capsule of my last 5 years and can easily highlight which items were the most soul-nourishing (creating art, writing, and seeing the ocean every year for 5 years, not exactly easy when you live in central Pennsylvania!) and, conversely, which were the most soul-sucking (100-day projects, which I tried twice and failed miserably both times). For over 20 years, I’ve had a deep desire to have something I’ve created published, in hold-in-your-hands, “real” print, not internet ether; and so, it was no surprise #15 spilled its way onto my list in that first, frantic brainstorming session. I’d almost given up on that idea when, just in the nick of time, as I wind down the final days of my 59^th year, I received an email confirming a short paragraph I wrote, accompanied by an image(s) of my artwork will be published in Uppercase Magazine, woohoo! The submission prompt I responded to was, “How has creativity transformed your life?” Um, like the Staples button suggests, “That was easy!” I could write a book on how creativity has positively transformed my life, truly my biggest struggle was to edit to the 120-word limit! If you’ve never read Uppercase, it’s a gorgeous publication “for the Creative and Curious” and I’ll be in Issue #64, Jan-Feb-March 2025 !

You might be wondering; did I complete all 60 items on my list? Nah, I only crossed off 42. That may sound like failure, but the list was never intended to be the 60 Commandments. I knew, even while writing the first draft, I’d never complete each item. However, I also knew the simple act of writing the list, then referring to it from time to time, would be the impetus I needed to see beyond the tasks of my days & my weeks to actively plan “the good stuff” that brings deeper joy and meaning to my life. Happily, 42 of my dreams came true. Regretfully, 18 didn’t. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits writes, “The important thing isn’t to achieve all your dreams, but to keep dreaming.” That’s exactly what this list was for me, an opportunity to keep dreaming. At a time when I felt sad and bereft, putting pen to paper to write out my dreams was what helped me to find my way, one line after another, back to myself.

Will there be a 70 By 70 list? No, I don’t think so. I have more systems in place now (read lists, lots and lots of lists!) to capture all the things I hope to do and see and learn and read and explore on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis, in my art, in my life, and in our travel; and I revisit those lists regularly.  That feels right for now. Who knows, I may be ready to create a 70 By 70 list when I turn 65? Until then, I’ll be concentrating on my 60^th year, hoping to make this next trip around the sun my best one ever! It’s almost time to blow out the candles and make my wish!

  60 By 60

1. Take an art class (in person, not online) – 2020
2. Take an art class (in person, not online) – 2021
3. Take an art class (in person, not online) – 2022
4. Take an art class (in person, not online) – 2023
5. Take an art class (in person, not online) – 2024
6. Create an IG account for my art and put some of it out there!
7. Create 5 greeting cards from my artwork
8. Complete a 100 day project
9. Visit MOMA in NYC
10. Take a Creative Live class
11. Complete all Rebecca Sower Draw and See projects / frame and hang
12. Buy an easel
13. Complete all Amanda Evanston Secret Garden paintings & frame 1
14. 12 sketchbook drawings/year  / or finish Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
15. 1 Writing activity/wk & write something for publication
16. Install collage of photos on Living Room wall
17. Attend a creative retreat of some sort
18. See Hamilton on Broadway
19. Hike in Nepal or Bhutan
20. Photograph a giraffe in Africa
21. Eat French food in Quebec
22. Explore Torres Del Paine in Patagonia
23. Hike to Havasu Falls/Grand Canyon
24. See a polar bear in Alaska
25. See the Northern Lights
26. Visit the Louvre in Paris
27. Finish seeing all the National Parks (63)
28. Read at least 1 non-Book Club book each year (>/= 5 total – see ideas listed below)
29. Read 1 book of Poetry each year (5 total)
30. Hike AT sections in 3-5 states
31. 2-day backpacking with overnight tent camping
32. Hike the John Muir trail / re-supply box
33. Coeur D’Alene Golf Course in Idaho // weekend with Scott
34. Multi-pitch climb // weekend with Matt
35. Bike from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland on GAP Trail // weekend with TJ
36. Bike from Valley Forge to Philadelphia
37. See Christmas lights at Longwood Gardens at night (bokeh)
38. Go horseback riding
39. Stop practicing medicine
40. Volunteer in some ongoing capacity
41. The Confetti Project in NYC!
42. See the ocean – 2020
43. See the ocean – 2021
44. See the ocean – 2022
45. See the ocean – 2023
46. See the ocean – 2024
47. Collect shells on an exotic beach
48. Eat at least 1 vegetarian meal/wk
49. Plant more milkweed / re-commit to native plants in flowerbeds
50. Downsize (dramatically)
51. Sleep under the stars
52. Run Disney Princess ½ marathon
53. Attend 5 new/different churches
54. Try 2 new restaurants per year
55. See Bruce Springsteen in concert
56. Carve a pumpkin!
57. Spend 2-3 days at Brimfield again
58. Fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
59. Visit Aunt Dolly
60. Stop coloring my hair

Note: Underlined, bolded items were not completed (yet!)