The 4th Quarter

I’ve been thinking about the 4^th Quarter – in this case of my life.  

Too often the fourth quarter in business is when we dust off the Strategic Plan that we so carefully crafted many months ago, complete with all the inaccurate projections, un-started or poorly performed upon plans we so boldly made. 

In some ways this reflects my life as well, though thankfully, not all.  

In a football game one would always like to start the 4^th quarter "up by a lot". Ensuring one might prevail. 

While I wouldn’t say I’m trailing, I’m not “up by a lot”. Which begs the question: a lot of what?  

Immediately I think of the various aspects of my life: spiritual, relational, intellectual, financial, occupational, health. As I check the score in each aspect, hold each up to the dusty strategic plan, I am encouraged. I’m not as far behind as my midnight critic, my Monday morning quarterback, would have me believe. And I’m right where actions in the first three quarters brought me. So, as the buzzer begins the 4^th quarter – I reckon I’ll rely on my stamina and the clever spirit I lucked into and go see how this quarter goes.

Maybe this is appropriate for the moment:

Be kind to your self, and each other!