Greetings.  Last week I wrote about the importance of snow and, as luck would have it, the weekend brought a major snow storm to the Washington area.  The final accumulation at our backyard monitoring station was 19.2 inches (or about half a meter for those of you who think metrically).  More than enough to set one's sense of curiosity and wonder into motion.  There were forts to build, sleds to race, new snowball making techniques to perfect, experiments to test the healing power of a snow blanket, new snowshoes to try, and football games to play that conjured up notions of playing for the Green Bay Packers in the "frozen tundra" of Lambeau Field.  What could be better?  

And it was also a rare chance to fire up the Sears Craftsman snowblower, which I purchased just after our last big snowstorm in 2003 but had never actually used in competition.  Sure, I'd fantasized about clearing mountains of the white stuff, but it's barely worth the effort when our typical snowfall is about 2 – 3 inches.  So each winter since then I had looked at this beautiful machine in awe, then periodically started it up just to keep it in reasonable working order.  But I'd never taken it out of the garage to do the job it was intended for.  Until Saturday.  Yet somehow, the thought that it was there gave me confidence that I was prepared for any winter weather.

When it was finally thrust into service, this shiny red work of art and technology performed beyond my wildest imagination.  Carving through banks of snow with amazing power, and seemingly purring with delight that it was finally getting to do the task it was designed for.  And it got me thinking about people and organizations, and how many of us go unnoticed until the moment when our skills are vital to the success of those we serve.  And, how often our real genius lies in our ability to provide peace of mind.

We win in business and in life by being ready for whatever hits us.  Who do you count on in the middle of a storm?  And, are they ready when you need them most?  And who counts on you?  And do they know, even when you're out of sight, that you're there for them and ready to be remarkable?

Cheers and have a brilliant week ahead!