Have faith and continue to share love and hope
How is everyone holding up? Whether you’re staying home, working from home or bravely heading to work this week, our prayers are with you.
We are wading through these unprecedented waters. Every decision affects more than just ourselves; each affects our loved ones and neighbors, anyone who we are close to, and people we don’t know.
I am not an expert when it comes to the stock market, nor am I an epidemiologist. I can’t speak with any authority to what COVID-19 means to the global economy or our health. I do know this is very bad and much worse than we expected.
Emerson once said, “Adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” It’s during the most difficult times that we get to see what is truly in our heart. It is easy during times like this to feel helpless. But the truth is, everything we do affects the bigger picture. How we respond and our behavior in the next six months will say a lot about us.
Let’s reset and remember what is truly important. Let’s reconnect with family and community, because we’re in this together, and together we are stronger. Without minimizing the severity of what has happened and what is to come, we can come together now in this virtual space to grow as a society.
In this time of quarantine and social distancing, don’t lose sight of each other. Have faith and continue to share love and hope.
Remember, panic loves company. Reach out to your friends and neighbors, check in on those who need help, and stay connected via telephone and the internet. This is the perfect moment for connection. Go beyond the news of the day and create meaningful digital interactions that will last long after this crisis has passed.
We can replace fear and reflect more deeply on our lives. We can be more mindful in our response over taking reflexive reaction. Every action is under scrutiny these days. We can take this opportunity to reflect and learn from our past, and create a better path forward for ourselves, future generations and the planet.
Our communities are going to be tasked with the hard work of rebuilding our economy, and they are going to have to do it with limited resources in the face of overwhelming demand. It is my hope that we will never receive another call to action such as this one. But this one is here, and we are indeed being called. We must stand up and support the leaders within our communities.
Stay home. It’s not just a good idea. It’s a generous way to help people stay safe. Stay home and lead. This is a chance to embrace an opportunity to make a difference.
I have been inspired by everything I have witnessed the past few weeks. There has been an outpouring of kindness, generosity and heroism.
We will emerge from this. Let’s prepare for that day and begin working together to build a stronger, more resilient community together.
Jamie Protin is founder and principal of The Protin Group in Belle Vernon.
To submit business-related columns, email Rick Shrum at rshrum@observer-reporter.com.