There are times in life when perspective is thrust on you. Todd Dempsey has learned that the hard way.

Any number of top pros say Dempsey is a heckuva talented golfer. But he has been beset by many trials, most of them medical and one of them quite terrifying.

The long and the short of is that Todd Dempsey has been away from professional golf almost longer than he's played it.

The Associated Press ran a wire story on Tuesday of this week detailing Dempsey's trials and tribulations.

He's on the Nationwide Tour now, back where he feels he belongs, playing golf for a living.

But just living would be okay with Dempsey, too. When you're above ground, everything looks a lot better.

The article, on the Golf Channel website, can be found here.

As you read it, do a couple of things. First, recognize how small your problems are and, second, count your blessings.