As we were driving along I-94 toward Chicago this past summer, some guy was dragging along in the left lane, clogging traffic, and then mindlessly accelerating whenever anyone attempted to edge ahead on the right.
“He’s not qualified to be lane leader,” observed my husband, who considers clocking record times between point A and point B a matter of personal pride.
The testosterone-fueled road warriors in my household laugh when I suggest that they should give bad drivers the benefit of the doubt. “Maybe they just found out they have cancer,” I’ll say as a possible explanation for slow or distracted motorists.
What’s the rush — really? Why hurry when bad news can be lurking around the next corner.
Los Angeles ad man Dave Freeman attempted to savor the journey, albeit in the fast lane. The co-author of 100 Things to Do Before You Die, tried to follow his own advice and reportedly got halfway through his list before an accidental fall in August took his life at age 47.
Last year’s movie Bucket List also suggested embracing life in full before you cross off the last item on your to-do list: “Go to morgue.”
One could argue that hurrying buys time. It seems to me, however, that the more you cram into your days, the faster time flies.
Whichever approach we adopt, we know — whether we acknowledge it or not — that our days are finite. With that in mind, it makes sense to add another entry to the “bucket list:” Make regular appointments with good doctors. We can always aim for longevity.
To help with that, check the results of our ninth annual Top Docs survey. Names of physicians who received the most votes in a poll of M.D.s and D.O.s are listed beginning on page 104.
As for the rest of life’s ongoing to-do list, well, the idea of attempting to accomplish 100 things while still breathing seems a bit obsessive. But having a little fun this month, well, we can help with that. Our pages suggest how to look good, appreciate nature, get politically informed, and eat, drink, and be merry because — as the bumper sticker says — “[stuff] happens.” Often, it seems, the tough pill to swallow happens to those who least deserve it.
For those friends in need, consider inviting them over for some comforting soup. Beginning on page 138, four metro Detroit chefs offer their recipes for savory supper in a bowl.
Give one a try. Then dish up your creation and consider taking life a bit more slowly — doctor’s orders.
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