“How many weeks to you think the average human lifespan has in it?” asked Shane East on Instagram, on January 28.

I did the ballpark math in my head as I listened to the rest of the reel, and it seemed about right, somewhere around 78 years, I thought. But to express it in weeks gave no perspective for me at the time. Years and decades are much more my speed.

Then, weeks (ha!) later, it occurred to me that pregnancy is measured in weeks, and expected to last 40. So in one of those ah-HA! shower moments, I realized that by the time we are born, we may already be 1% down the road to death. Huh. So if a pregnancy is 1% of an average human lifespan, then a whole lifespan is 100 pregnancies.

Suddenly 4000 weeks had a whole new meaning in terms of duration, potential, and load. What else do (or could) we do (or witness, or cause, or anything) 100 times in our life? How many puberties, summer camps, college degrees, PhDs, MDs, and residencies is 4000 weeks? How many relationships, sex partners, attempted and failed new experiences or jobs?

How else can we frame the length of an average human lifespan to shake our perspective and make different meaning? Why would we want to?

How does the length of your life, to date and pending, make sense to you?
How do you chunk it?

What is y/our relationship with death?

And as the wise Mary Oliver asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” (Shane has posted this question before, also. He is my people.)

Living toward death–it’s another fun paradox of reality that I love to ponder. And it always brings me back to, “Live in peace to die at peace.” Easier said than done, and I won’t know until the end if I can walk the talk.

Does it feel morbid or fatalistic? Not to me. Rather I feel mindful and realistic, present and optimistic. I get to choose what meaning I make out of 4000 weeks, 100 pregnancies, or however else I consider my time in this body, on this planet, at this time in history, whatever is happening at any time.

I have agency. These days, that may be the most important meaning I can embrace and express.