“I have a feeling I’ll be dead long before the car.” ~ Irvin Gordon
Mr. Gordon has put almost 3 million miles on his 1966 Volvo. The average person drives a car 15,000 miles per year around where they live. At that rate Gordon has driven his car 200 years. According to my calculator Mr. Gordon has driven his car, on average, 65,000 miles per year.
Most people put about 100,000 miles on a car before they get a new one. And if you’re in youth ministry you generally get a car with about 100,000 miles on it and drive it to about 220,000 miles when it implodes into a cloud of rust, dust, and repair bills.
The story of Gordon’s isn’t just that his car has lasted a long time. It’s that he’s created a way to use his car in such a way that endures, seemingly, forever.
Create Something Enduring
As I think about Gordon’s 1966 Volvo I can’t help but think about the things that I care about in my life. I certainly hope my relationships and the stuff I’m doing can last 46 years… and hopefully long after I die. But this story causes me to ask some important questions about getting there.
- How can I maintain relationships in a way that will endure 65,000 miles of usage in a year?
- Can I create systems for my life that are seemingly infinitely maintainable?
- Am I even aware of the engine that makes everything work, or do I just go along until something doesn’t sound right?
- Is my pace sustainable for the long haul?
- Are the things I’m creating going to outlast me?
ht to Detroit Free Press
Leave a Reply