~:[CH6 - Day 221]:~ The Smoke Cannot Engulf Us

~:[CH6 - Day 221]:~ The Smoke Cannot Engulf Us

The smoke rolled in from the local fire as it tried to ruin our day, but we would have none of it. We had a great morning workout along the ridge, enjoying the views of Mammoth, followed by a great afternoon of camp olympics that had the right balance of fun and competition including one of our classic games. With a relaxing evening while the athletes had their team meeting, I had time to be alone and think about how the day was so much like the discussions that our athletes would be having tonight. All the problems that we can sense and that surround us will always come and go, but we cannot let that smoke engulf us. We cannot allow it to fill us with something that will rot our insides, rather, we must allow ourselves to continue to move forward through the smoke, keeping focus on what is ahead of us. We cannot panic, we cannot make a big deal of small issues and even the big ones. We must continue to see the bigger pictures to understand that sometimes, the things we cling to are sometimes the things we need to let go of in order to keep the smoke from engulfing us. As the sun rises in the morning, I hope our team can see that any of the issues they face are things they can overcome and put behind them so that they can rise above the smoke. Alone, the smoke may engulf us, however, together, I know that the ohana can bond together and guide each other to find clear skies so that the air they breathe can once again be pure. My hope for their future is clear skies for many days, months, and years to come.