Let’s say the average person lives to be 85 years old. Given every 4 years we have a leap year and we get February 29th, that gives us 21 extra days. So 85 years multiplied by 365 days = 31,025 days, plus the 21 leap year days gives us 31,046 days on this planet. Multiply that by 24 hours in a day and we have 745,104 hours (44,706,240 minutes) in this world. That’s not really that much time.
Have you ever seen “In Time” with Justin Timberlake? While it might not be your favorite movie and it didn’t win any Oscars, it’s a sobering reminder that unlike the Doritos add from a few years back "…we’ll make more”, there is no way to make more time. Sure, if we all had Ricky Bobby’s advanced income we could extend those 85 years to, I don’t know, 174, but we don’t.
So what do I do? Better yet, what don’t I do? I don’t waste it. Or at least I try not to waste it. I’ve become more aware of my actions. I stopped watching TV years ago and I don’t miss it. I am reassured of my decision when I stay the night at a hotel and find myself sucked into the shows. Sometimes I can’t help myself. So much mindless chatter and dumb commercials that make we wonder immediately after their done what the #!%$ I just watched.
I’ve found that I’m more aware of my surroundings too. I am fascinated with the smallest, most common things. Like chickadees. We have so many chickadees at our bird feeder. I get lost in watching those birds dart to and fro, grabbing a seed and wreaking havoc on the shell on a nearby branch.
And I’m getting better at prioritizing, goal setting and making plans. Each time the thought crosses my mind that I don’t have unlimited time, I’m more purposeful with what I do and why I’m doing it. Sure, I could always be better but I’m aware and I’m making steps to make use of the 359,280 (+/- 3,267) hours I have left in this amazing life. (Knock on wood)
What are you planning to do with the time you have? What will you accomplish? What legacy will you leave? Whose life will you improve? My hope is that the time you have left is full of love, learning, laughter and even more love. (And Doritos)