How Many Saturdays Do I Have Left?

 As children, Saturdays mean we don’t have to go to school. We can sleep in and wake up just in time for our favorite Saturday morning cartoons.

As we get older and interested in more mature matters, like the opposite sex, Saturdays become the standard date night where we cruise the strip, head to the drive-in, or gather around the TV for a romantic comedy.

As time goes on and we decide on that one person we just can’t live without, Saturday mornings soon transition into Honey-Do lists and laundry.

Eventually, and it happens before we even know it, Saturday comes around yet again. Only this time, when we wake up, we have no idea what day it is!    

As the world continues to spin around my seemingly motionless body, the tick of life’s clock echoes in my mind. The sound reminds me that my days are numbered.

“Show me, Lord my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is” (Psalm 39:4 NIV).

So, being the statistical individual that I am, I became curious. How many Saturdays do I have left? Utilizing the life expectancy table used by the life insurance industry, I found that my life expectancy is 79 years of age. Just for fun, I have included this chart thinking that you might be interested to know your current life expectancy as well.

Current Age         Life Expectancy          Estimated Saturdays Left
                               (Male / Female)                    (Male / Female)

40                              37/41 years                     1924/2132

45                              33/37 years                     1716/1924

50                              28 / 32 years                   1456 / 1664

55                              24 / 28 years                   1248 / 1456

60                              20 / 24 years                   1040 / 1248

65                              17 / 19 years                    884 / 988

70                              13 / 16 years                    676 / 832

75                              10 / 12 years                    520 / 624

80                               8 / 9 years                        416 / 468

85                               5 / 7 years                        260 / 364

According to my calculation, that leaves me with about 1,248 Saturdays. Along the journey of life, if we’re lucky, wisdom will accompany our age. Life has certainly changed since those days of looking forward to Saturday morning cartoons. Things that were once so monumental in life have tempered with time. It seems that success is no longer defined by acquiring “stuff,” but has developed into something a bit more significant.

For me the age old questions of “Why am I here?” and “What is really my purpose in life?” have continued to vibrate in my conscious. I have searched my entire life for my purpose and finally realize I was using the wrong coordinates to locate it. By utilizing the map the world gave me, I have taken the long journey to arrive where God has placed me to walk out my life. It didn’t have to be that way, the long way, but I did not understand that he had a specific call on my life. Gray hairs and a little wisdom have allowed me to understand that call. Now I understand more fully the reason he created me and what he desires for my life.

Defining my family legacy is part of my defined purpose. The seeds I plant today within my family orchard will be the fruit gathered by future generations.

I realize my actions and words can and do leave implications for my immediate family and even my future family tree. How different would this world be if everyone were concerned about making a positive impact and leaving something behind for the next generation? I mean something more than money or the stuff. To leave a legacy of vision, values, love and the blessing could impact the family tree for generations to come.

In light of that, I think I’m going to look at my Saturdays a bit differently now. After all, Lord willing, I may only have 1,248 left.

Guy Hatcher – known as The Legacy Guy – has spent his lifetime helping families plan their legacy. A Certified Financial Planner, Guy has been a leader in the wealth management industry, which has allowed him to have over "10,000 Kitchen Table Conversations." This real-life experience merged with Guy's unique conversation style makes him financial advisor, family coach, and family counselor. His new book, Your Future Reflection: How to Leave a Legacy Beyond Money, is now available at Amazon.com.  Follow him on twitter @guyhatcher. www.guyhatcher.com

Publication date: March 4, 2014