edrocha1961

I am known for becoming very sleepy when I am driving (I really appreciate those rumble strips on the side of the road).

I believe that driving doesn’t use enough of my brain to keep it “on”, so it goes to a kind of “hibernation” process. It is like “the lights are on, but there is nobody home”.

Liz can actually see it on my face because my eyes are no longer wide open and my jaw drops just a little to give me that dead fish look that she recognizes. That is when she will poke me, throw water on the back of my neck, or demand a stop for a power nap.

A few weeks ago I was by myself driving back from Detroit after a stressful meeting, and I knew I would have a hard time staying awake, so I tried to keep my brain active.

As I was thinking about my life I figured out I just completed 20,000 days of life not too long ago (a good math exercise will keep the brain gears turning).

Based on the most updated life expectancy charts (not that I googled as I was driving) that calculation lead me to the conclusion that I have less than 10,000 days ahead of me, even without any tragic event.

That means each day represents more then 0.01% of the rest of my life!

That is a sobering thought: Two thirds of my life are behind me. I’d better use every day very well.

This made me think about the purpose of my life, and the legacy I am building.

I want to live a life that glorifies God and influences others to do the same.

That has to be my mission as a husband, a father, an employee, a friend, a citizen, a Christian, …

That should guide how I use the days I am given.

Also, I’d better stay awake when I am driving otherwise those 10,000 days could a lot shorter.