A friend of mine shared a thought about the lesson some of us learned in our study of chess. A wise instructor will sometimes use the strategy of making us play without the queen. How frustrating it is to play without such a powerful piece on the board.

However, without relying on the queen and her significant power, we gain appreciation for the capacity, capabilities, and strategic value of our other pieces. Once the queen is re-introduced, we realize that our game has risen to a new level.

May we as leaders make the most of the season as we learn to maximize other resources and strategies. If we can learn to thrive without in person gatherings, then when we finally reintroduce such, imagine our capacity!