The Fourth Quarter

I took a long walk through the woods this morning with Rascal, my ever-eager walking partner and four-legged philosopher-in-residence. No phone. No podcasts. Just crisp leaves underfoot, a rising breeze, and the steady rhythm of paws and boots side by side.Out there on the trail, something stirred in me.A quiet voice reminding me:We’re in the Fourth Quarter now.Not just me. (I’m 76.) All of us…all humanity.And the question pressing in is this:How will we play it?Four Fingers in the AirIf you’ve ever watched a Clemson football game—especially in Death Valley—you’ll know the moment I’m talking about.It’s the start of the Fourth Quarter.The whole stadium rises.Thousands of fans raise four fingers into the air.No shouting. No dancing. Just that silent signal.Now is when we give everything.Now is when the real game is won—or lost, so:Stay Focused—Finish StrongI married into this tradition, thanks to my dear wife Ann, a Clemson graduate and lifelong fan. I still remember her mother—bless her soul—perched on the edge of the couch, eyes glued to the screen, hands clenched in nervous joy as the final quarter approached.And I’ll admit: something about it stuck with me.Not just the football—the metaphor.My Fourth Quarter PerspectiveAt 76, I’m very aware I’m in the fourth quarter of my own life. That doesn’t feel like a problem—it feels like an opportunity. I experience a clarity I didn’t always have in the early quarters.And yet, there’s a weight to it too.Because every time I look into the eyes of my grandson Logan (age 4½) or hear my granddaughter Piper’s laughter (2½ and full of wonder), I feel this paradox:Deep joy. And deep responsibility.I adore these little humans. I want them to inherit more than just books and stories and family traditions. I want them to inherit a future: A world worth growing old in.So I’ve recommitted—with full heart and full voice—to my daily One Cause Vow.It’s my personal playbook for this quarter. A sacred agreement I whisper each morning:I am nature. You are nature. We are all one.Let my actions reflect that truth.No, I won’t be perfect. Yes, I’ll fall short. But I will keep showing up. After all, it’s the fourth quarter…for all of us.Humanity’s Scoreboard CheckLet’s be real. If this were a football game, the scoreboard might look… concerning.* We’ve got climate instability spiking across the globe* Biodiversity loss racing forward at terrifying speeds* Economic systems burning out people and ecosystems alike, and * I’m not even going to get into the whole political upheavelSome say we’re in the final two minutes of the Fourth Quarter.Others say overtime may not even be an option.But here’s what I also see:* Solar panels sprouting like sunflowers on rooftops* Youth leaders standing tall, fearless and fierce* Indigenous wisdom resurfacing* Earth Listening Circles forming in libraries and backyards* Grandparents marching with their grandkids* Millions of micro-acts of regeneration already underwaySo yes, it’s late.But it’s not over.Not if we choose to play full out.Why This Quarter Counts MostBack in 2008, when Dabo Swinney became Clemson’s head coach mid-season, he and his strength coach Joey Batson launched what became a team mantra:“They don’t put championship rings on smooth hands.”The message?The work that matters most happens when no one is watching… in the dirt.As Brian Klaas reminds us in his book, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters, ‘seemingly inconsequential actions have life-changing consequences.’What if the most important acts we take don’t show up on social media but rather within our hearts, in our homes, or among our communities? It all adds up. And yes — it all matters.What Legacy Will We Leave?When we talk about legacy, we often mean what we leave behind.But I think it’s more powerful to ask: What will I set in motion?What ripple will move forward because I cared enough to start?Think about the lives of Joanna Macy and Jane Goodall—both eco-activists, truth-tellers, soul-stirrers. Both recently passed from this world.What did they leave behind?* Macy inspired generations with her Work That Reconnects—turning grief into action* Goodall launched Roots & Shoots—inviting young people to lead with love and curiosity* And both of them did so by starting smallOne circle. One conversation. One spark.That’s legacy. So, raise your hand and your heart.So here’s where I leave you.If you’ve read this far—if you’ve walked this far with me through One Cause—I thank you. It’s been an amazing rise these past eleven months.And I ask you:What does your Fourth Quarter look like?We don’t need to be perfect.It does help to be present.We don’t need every answer.It does help to have the courage to keep showing up.So if you’re with me… if you’re ready to give your heart to the future…Raise your metaphorical four fingers.Stand tall. And play like everything depends on it. Because it does. This is our time, and we still have a shot.Let’s play like we mean it. Game On!— Brad (aka W. Bradford Swift, Eco-Guardian-in-Training, Grateful Grand-Dude, & author of One Cause) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe