A few years ago, for some reason, I wondered how many days I’d been on the planet. I asked my phone, and it told me that I was approaching the 17,777 day mark so I celebrated accordingly. About a week and a half ago, the idea came to my mind again, and my phone informed me that I was approaching my 18,888th day playing the role of Steve McAllister.
I can’t say that my 18,888th day was that much different than any other day that came before it, but it was fun to watch people’s reactions when I told them what I was celebrating. It’s also really fun to see people’s reaction when I tell them that every day has 1,440 minutes. Some of the more than 27 million minutes I have experienced from this perspective have been very well lived and produced some wonderful things, but quite a few have been squandered and not filled with my best performances.
But this year, I’ll be celebrating day number 19,000 on August 11, and in 2026, I’ll get to celebrate day number 19,999 on my brother’s birthday, May 6. And if I can make it until 2032, I’ll get to celebrate day number 22,222 on June 6. So although not all of the 27 million minutes that have come before have included my best work, and even though I didn’t seize every one of the 18,888 days that have passed me by, I’ve got more days ahead of me, including the one I’m living now, and I’m very grateful for it.
But I have to be honest, the role of Steve McAllister has not always been an easy one to play. Granted, it came with an intrinsic faith in life itself, so, for the most part, it’s been a lot easier than what most people have to endure, and being born as a white, male, middle class American from a Christian background certainly has its perks. And while being a loner philosophizer poet motorcycling musician wanderer with a penchant for bucking the system and pushing the boundaries has been a pretty fun ride for the most part, dealing with an ego that endures all of that stuff comes with its own set of challenges.
Nevertheless, I certainly prefer being Steve McAllister over being anyone else, and I am proud to say that I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. It has taken a good amount of practice, but I think I’ve gotten pretty good at what I do, and I’m just gonna keep getting better. I’m just going to start by appreciating what today’s 1,440 minutes have to offer and how much I can put into them, and then go from there.
