Line of Smoke

 

We have all seen the line of smoke a plane leaves behind high in the sky.  Really, though, what is often mistaken as smoke is actually contrails--clouds formed when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles in an aircraft’s exhaust. This is similar to seeing your breath when you breathe warm air on a cold day.

Altitude, temperature, humidity, and engine type determine if a contrail is formed.  Some aspects of contrails are shared:

·         All curtails are made up of the same materials and formed in the exact same manner but exist for different lengths of time. Some are short-lived, some lasts for hours as a straight line, and others last for hours and spread to be several miles wide.

·         Curtails cannot be hidden even though they are high in the sky.

·         Curtails show direction. It’s easy to spot where the plane has been and where it is headed.

How does this relate to officiating?  Let’s examine the aspects of officiating compared to those of contrails:

·         Officials have similar make-up.  Sure, we are different, but we all have common aspects such as uniform, rule books, mechanics.  But we all have different periods of influence in officiating—some short-lived while others have others a long-standing.  At a game site, we may make contact with one person, one time.  At the same time, we can be on a crew with an official for numerous years.

·         Once we put the uniform on, we can’t hide.  Are we confident in our ability to officiate the game in front of us?  Do we positively influence those people we come in contact with?

·         Direction—are we heading in the right direction as an official and/or as a crew?  What things do we continue to do and/or what are the things we need to change to improve?

Think about the trail we leave behind as officials. Even if it is short-lived, is our influence a positive one?  If it is long-standing, how well are we using our influence and resources to improve and positively impact the people and game around us?  In Matthew 28: 16-20, Jesus demanded His Disciples to go and influence the world:

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” - Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV)

Be a positive influence on those around us, especially our crewmates.  When someone looks at the trail we leave behind, will it be looked at as positive or negative?

"Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Credit:  https://fcaresources.com/devotional/contrails