Your Own Safety Is At Stake When Your Neighbor's Wall Is Ablaze.
HORACE, Epistles
As we begin the second week of self-isolation in North Carolina, the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting our families, our businesses, our communities, and our way of life. Either directly or indirectly, we have all been impacted by the virus - most workplaces have instituted work-from-home directives, restaurants and bars are closed, and we are advised to maintain a "social distance" of at least six feet. As I write this, many other businesses, including gyms, movie theaters, barber shops, hair and nail salons, are to close by 5:00 p.m. on March 25, and schools will remain closed through May 15, 2020.
While it is the responsibility of us all to help flatten the curve, as the days of sequestration continue and, perhaps, solitude increases, it will be tempting to begin to devalue the risks and seek out social interaction. But unlike the neighbor's wall ablaze of which Horace speaks, this silent, insidious disease seemingly doesn't present such a vivid danger. For those who are not personally suffering or have a family member or close friend suffering from illness, we are often left with mixed messages and limited, ever-changing statistical analysis to impress upon us the serious nature of this pandemic and each of our responsibilities. A blazing wall right in front of us would at least let us know what we're dealing with. Instead, we're left with messages like this to draw our attention to silent blaze that may be all around.
Curbing the spread of this disease is a collective responsibility and we take our role in this seriously. Our top priority at The Mitchell Law Group will always be the well-being of our clients and our team. While we have implemented work-from-anywhere technology and procedures for a number of years, we have closed our physical offices and transitioned to a fully remote team to do our part in reducing the spread of this virus.
With these measures in place, please know that The Mitchell Law Group will remain fully operational and ready to provide you with the same reliable, high quality services you have come to rely on. We are harnessing the power of technology to assist you in any way that we can, and we hope to have even more offerings in the coming days to assist our clients and the wider community.
Moving our scheduled in-person meetings to telephone or video may make only a slight difference in the spread of COVID-19, but that's how we flatten the curve and reduce the spread of this disease. Each of us taking small, individual steps resulting in a collective response.
But despite the uncertainty, despite the change (and change can be hard), I write this not to stoke fear, but champion our humanity and shared community. Because while we may not be able to meet friends for dinner or catch the game, we all have those we love and who love us and they need us to help make a difference. So, today, stay home, reach out and connect (virtually) with those whom you love, especially your older friends and relatives. Love your neighbor, you may not know if their wall is ablaze.
We’re all in this together.