Stardate 07.29.2026

The Wrong Door

Stardate 07.29.2026

Some days don't go according to plan.

I've learned those are often the days God does His best work.

My mission yesterday was simple: rest and restoration. After spending five busy days away from home, I had been intentionally using my four days off to recharge before the next climb. On my final day of rest, I began with a relaxing soak in the jacuzzi before driving to an appointment that included an hour in a float tank followed by forty minutes in an infrared sauna.

When I arrived, I walked up to the reception desk to check in.

The receptionist searched for my appointment.

Nothing.

I pulled up my confirmation email on my phone, and she smiled.

"I think you're in the wrong suite."

She pointed me next door.

Before leaving, curiosity got the better of me.

"So...what do you do here?"

"We do DEXA scans," Jessica replied.

That immediately caught my attention.

Some of my tennis teammates recently announced a fitness challenge. Everyone who wants to participate contributes $100, but there's one requirement: complete a DEXA body composition scan before the challenge begins on August 1. The winner takes the pot.

I smiled.

"I'll be back."

The float tank and infrared sauna were every bit as restorative as I had hoped. During the hour in the float tank, I spent the entire session in prayer and meditation. By the time the lights came back on, I felt as though time had simply disappeared. I walked out refreshed, grateful, and convinced I had accomplished exactly what I had come to do.

Then I returned next door.

The scan itself was fascinating. It measured much more than body weight. Afterward, Jessica sat down with me to review the results.

One of the assessments estimated my biological age at 73.

That number didn't discourage me.

It gave me a baseline.

Over the past year, I've been paying closer attention to my health. My weight has come down. My sleep continues to improve. I'm in the middle of a ninety-day sardine experiment to see how increasing my Omega-3 intake affects my long-term health.

Now I had another piece of the puzzle.

Jessica patiently explained the areas where I could improve and offered practical suggestions for raising my health score over time.

I left encouraged.

Before walking out, I shared a little about my writing and my mission to donate every dollar of my book royalties to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. I asked Jessica if I could take a photo of her and her husband, Adam, and I gave them a couple of my books.

That's when the story took one final turn.

Jessica told me her day hadn't been going well.

Before I arrived, she had quietly prayed.

As we wrapped up our conversation, she smiled and told me my visit had lifted her spirits.

I smiled too.

I had walked through the wrong door, yet somehow we both left encouraged.

This morning I woke before dawn after one of the best nights of sleep I've had in quite some time. During more than an hour of meditation, I found myself reflecting on the previous nine days—the five-day assignment followed by four days devoted to rest and restoration. The rest had renewed my body. The honest measurements had given me a starting point. The unexpected conversations had encouraged my spirit.

It reminded me of climbing a mountain.

You don't stop at base camp because the journey is over.

You stop there so you're ready for the ascent ahead.

In about two months, I'll travel to London to spend time with my friends at DoNotAge and have the opportunity to meet the founder of the Horvath Clock. Looking back, it feels as though God has been preparing each step long before I could see where the trail was leading.

Sometimes the wrong door opens exactly the right path.

"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
— Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Thank you for walking this journey with me. May we all continue taking small, faithful steps toward better health, deeper purpose, and the next climb ahead.

Captain's Addendum

Spock: "Michael, accurate measurements are valuable only when they inspire meaningful action."

Bones: "And don't forget to appreciate that body of yours. It's carried you through more adventures than most people ever dream of."

I smiled as I considered both observations. Yesterday wasn't about finding perfect numbers. It was about preparing for whatever mission God places before me next, one faithful step at a time.