Living in Bonus Time

I was thinking about the phrase, “Live every day like it’s your last.” And while doing a little research for this topic, I realized something: That exact phrase isn’t in the Bible.

The verse most people reference is Psalm 90:12 —

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

It reminds us our days are limited, so use them wisely. But then there’s Ephesians 5:15–16:

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” It gets closer to the “live each day like your last” idea, but even that verse emphasizes wisdom, not recklessness.

Still—I thought that was interesting. Anyway, moving on...

What Would You Do?

If someone told you today was your last day on Earth, what would you do?

Would you try to be wise and intentional? Or would you go all out—spend everything you’ve saved, leave fear behind, and test fate?

I think I’d go skydiving, surfing, maybe try bull riding, ride a motorcycle, or even dive with sharks. Knock out the bucket list.

But then again, I might just want one last fish fry or barbecue with my family. A quiet get-together. A long hug. One more laugh around the table.

Because when it really comes down to it, what’s truly important on our last day isn’t stuff—it’s people.

My First Brush with Bonus Time

When I was 18, I went on a road trip with my girlfriend, her brother, and his girlfriend. We drove from Minnesota to New York, to Washington D.C., and back again.

On the way home, somewhere in Ohio, a truck ran us off the road. We hit a guardrail at 70 mph.

What we didn’t know at the time was that just beyond that guardrail was a 40-foot drop.

To make things worse, my seatbelt broke at the moment of impact. I hit the dashboard. It was an older car—no airbags.

Miraculously, we all walked away. Some bruises, a sprain, maybe a broken bone. But we were alive.

The cops, firefighters, and EMTs all said the same thing: “You should’ve died.”

A few days later, I made it back to Minnesota just in time for a family gathering.

And I remember sitting there thinking: “I’m just happy to be here.” Everything felt new. Brighter. Like I was seeing life for the first time again.

That feeling lasted for about a month and a half… then faded.

Living in Bonus Time

I was listening to an episode of The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe (episode 324), and he and his guest Jedidiah Thurner talked about this exact thing. They called it:

Living in bonus time.

After a near-death experience, everything becomes more vivid: Flowers smell sweeter. Food tastes better. Laughs go deeper. Conversations mean more.

But here’s the truth: You don’t have to nearly die to live like that.

What If Every Day Was a Bonus?

What if we treated today as a bonus day—a day we weren’t guaranteed?

When I ask my grandpa how he’s doing, he always says one of two things:

“Well, I woke up today, so pretty good.” or “I’m looking at the green side of the grass, so that’s a good thing.”

Same meaning: Being alive is a gift.

It’s amazing that we wake up with breath in our lungs and blood in our veins. Most of us live in a free country. We get to work, love, create, laugh, and build a life.

That’s no small thing.

Don’t Live Like It’s Your Last—Live Like It’s a Bonus

So no—I don’t think you should live every day like it’s your last. That leads to burnout and chaos.

But live like it’s a bonus?

That’s different.

Live like you weren’t promised this day, but you got it anyway. Live like today is a gift—because it is.

Spend time with your family. Take your weekends seriously. Be grateful for every hour of sunlight. Make space for joy. For people. For peace.

Speaking of spending time with family—I’m headed up to the cabin now with mine.

This is my bonus day…