I read a story several years ago that has helped me maintain perspective in my life. I will do my best to “re-tell” it.

Bob had a friend that suffered a serious heart attack. It seemed for a while that his friend was not going to survive, but he did eventually have a full recovery. Months later they had a conversation that went like this:

Bob: “How did you like your heart attack? “

Friend: “It scared me to death, almost!”

Bob: “Would you want to do it again? “

Friend: “No!”

Bob: “Would you recommend it to others?”

Friend: “Definitely not.”

Bob: “Does your life mean more to you now than it did before? “

Friend: “Yes.”

Bob: “Are you closer to your wife and kids than ever before? “

Friend: “Yes.”

Bob: “Do you have a new appreciation for people and a deeper understanding and sympathy for others? “

Friend: “Yes.”

Bob: Are you going to start taking better care of yourself?

Friend: “Yes.”

Bob: “Do you feel like you have a purpose in life?”

Friend: “Yes.”

Bob: “So Bob, how did you like your heart attack?”

I know this may be a bit dramatic, but some of the toughest things we go through in our job and in life are what ultimately give us the most clarity in life.

I wonder if Bob’s friend would have learned those life lessons any other way.

I have not encountered a near death experience like that, although I have had few scares that turned out to be nothing. Waiting for medical test results to return can be agonizing. I always expected the worst.

Seneca put it this way, “We suffer more from imagination than from reality.”

I look at life similar to a football game. 4 quarters, halftime and maybe some overtime.

0- 20 years of age is the 1st quarter of life. Everything is new and exciting; you are really not sure what to expect. You think you are ready, but not completely certain of anything. It’s a new game, and you are more excited about getting to play than anything else.

The second quarter begins in the 20 to 40-year range. You have learned from mistakes made in the first quarter and you are making some adjustments. Some things caught you off guard, and what you thought would work doesn’t, so you change your approach a bit.

Around 40ish is halftime. That is assuming you live to 80, most folks do not.

At halftime you analyze what is and is not working and possibly even change your entire game plan heading into the second half. You ask for input from others, check yourself for injuries and get your game face back on. Maybe you come out of halftime and start the 3rd quarter by trying an onside kick to shift the momentum?

Regardless of how far behind you may be at halftime, you can always stage a comeback.

The 3rd quarter goes from 40ish to 60 years of age. You have learned a lot about yourself and what you are capable of. You have been banged up and bruised a bit, but victory is still within your grasp.

60 – 75 hits and now you are in the 4th quarter. Since the life expectancy in the US is 77 years, you get a “two-year warning” at 75.

When our boy’s mother turned 60 last year, she said, “I’m starting the 4th quarter of my life, I’m behind a bit, so it’s time to put on a full court press.” Basketball was her game.

Any football coach will tell you that they look at the clock more during the 4th quarter than any other point during the game.

I do think about the end game often, not in a morbid way, but in a realistic way of knowing that I will not make it out of life alive. The clock is winding down, so I try to live in urgency every day. Not in a hurry, just with a little “giddy up” in my step.

I may need to break out a few trick plays or throw a Hail Mary or two to get what I want from life. Now is the time to take a few more risks before the clock hits zeroes.

Anything past 77 is overtime and you are lucky to still be in the game. Any play could be your last play, so leave nothing to chance. Use every play in your playbook and even draw a few more up in the sand if you need to.

Bob’s friend had a wake-up call with his heart attack, I’d like to learn to appreciate life without having to go through a health scare like that.

I turn 60 this year, I am headed into the 4th quarter of my life. I still have plenty of plays I want to run before time runs out, hoping I can get the game into overtime!

I plan to play hard until the buzzer sounds.

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Todd Howey is a columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose articles appear on Fridays.