Get to the Top, Take a Knee and Drink Some Water

The feeling you get when you climb up the mountain, and are left there standing alone at the top, is the greatest feeling ever.  You can hardly breathe, hardly stand, and hardly keep from shouting at the top of your lungs.  You know that any direction you go it is all downhill.  You can finally enjoy the view.  On the way to the top you are looking at your feet, trying to get the best footing and the most leverage to muscle your way up.  You are too focused on your breathing and keeping yourself from passing out to actually enjoy the view.  This is how I have felt the last 3 weeks.  Moving steadily up the mountain, getting closer and closer to the top.  As I have near this point the last leg was difficult and obstacles were everywhere.  But it didn't matter really, because nothing could keep me from getting to the top.  We have come to a point in our operations where my team and I are settled and ready to advance forward.  Instead of analyzing the past we are set to move forward and address the future.  I can actually organize and task projects instead of the mass effort to get anything and everything done.  I know there will be other mountains to climb, and this year will pose some of the most difficult climbing challenges I have encountered.  But I didn't come to this party ill-equipped.  We have the tools to address each obstacle and the will to overcome any challenge.  Those who turned around, gave up, or said it was too difficult have no place here.  Here is where we have come to work, and its where we can most effectively get our job done.