As summer winds down and nights begin to feel just a tad cooler, it feels we’re on the other side of a tough game. Optimism is in the air, like we took a rough first half of a game, gathered our best approach over halftime, and we are now looking to take the second half of this precious year of life and make a win.

I am so glad this year turned itself around— I am closing out summer with joy: pictures I took of my family over the last few months, the scent of dinner on the grill, and late nights resonant with the sound of laughter.

However, any of us who have ever played or even regularly watched a sport know that we’re only as good as our latest game and the first thing on the schedule after a solid win is always more practice.

With that in mind, how are you practicing life? We have a little over four months left in this year and it is time to start lining up our final plays as we head into fall. Life is getting busier each day— remember, good sports players schedule down time; that mental break is as valuable as any time spent at practice. Good teammates also look both ways: to a stronger player they can learn from and a weaker one they can assist. Who are your personal bookends and how will you work with them to turn this month into a win for everyone in your circle?

Finally, winning takes losing and learning. As important as it is to celebrate the joy of summer by savoring every moment of these hot and happy days, it is just as important to look at the items that slipped through the cracks in our haste to enjoy July and decide how we’re going to tackle them in August.

To end with an extension to the metaphor of a game gone right, I want to take a moment to comment on how sweet the win of August feels. There is no doubt this year started out with uncertainty, the pandemic still in effect and so many of us unsure of how spring would unfold. Well, my friend, here we are with spring behind us and summer now drawing to a beautiful close.

We won.