Breather (Burlington, NC)

The title originates from the fact that I had sat down from an exhausting set of "pistons" with that dumbbell.  As I sat there, something hit me.  Look at the photo - what do you see?  While under duress, I saw this immediately in color but going to black and white makes it more distinguishable.  See it yet?  Note the 2 shadows:  one from the dumbbell and the other from a light pole not in the frame.  

I do not know where I heard this years ago but it went something like this:  "you cannot have a shadow unless there is light."  That statement really puts things in perspective for our lives and leadership.  Shadows and light exist everywhere; so, ask yourself which one you look for the most in life.  If we are honest, we focus far too much on the shadows and miss the brilliance of the light.  Whenever you are facing a tough time and see a dark shadow, remember the shadow only exists because light has created it.

Simply put, do not fear the shadow but, instead, find the light.