Greetings from AC 109 headed home to YVR from a successful session in Toronto. There is something about climbing through thick rain clouds; the bumping, the quick, uncomfortable shifting back and forth in your seat, and then clear blue sky above a giant meadow of puff balls, and the 'ping' of the seatbelt light being turned out.

Life can be like that; we go through a period of turbulence, often quite dramatic and then, the 'weather' is  clear and calm. It is one of the important life lessons to know that no matter how clear the day is for us, there are others for whom the meadow of puff balls are dark rain clouds on the other side. Our credibility as a leader is not simply about how well we climbed out of difficult situations, but how well we remember and empathize with those still struggling. And how well we navigate the always coming return trip to the rain! Remember the seatbelt will always come on again!

May this week be one of both climbing out of and returning through challenging weather and the lessons learned on the journey.