It seems like there is only one topic of discussion today – Covid 19.

All media outlets appear to be giving more and more airtime and inches of space to reporting the newest developments in the progression of this virus, and each passing day the news becomes more dire.

Since Monday seven people have canceled meetings with me in my office opting instead to meet via phone or Zoom-type services and two of my corporate clients have elected to have all their employees work from their homes.

We are hearing reports of people stocking up on everyday products and rumors of massive disruptions in the supply chain of necessities like food and cleaning and hygiene products.

And as we go about our business talking with different people, we hear conflicting opinions of how this crisis should be handled.

There are those who, on one hand, believe that we are witnessing a worldwide, gigantic overreaction to a non-event, and on the other hand there are those strongly advocating for an even stronger response from our leaders, including cancellation of all events, closure of all schools and other institutions and, essentially, forced self-exile of the general population.

As we have so often discussed, we humans are little more than walking, talking opinions dressed up as facts and we have done a sterling job in convincing ourselves that our perspectives represent the true reality of the world, meaning that all those whose viewpoints differ from ours are simply wrong.

In truth, I believe that in a situation like this our individual opinions are completely irrelevant.

By that I mean that we would all be better off if instead of directing our thinking to what should or shouldn’t be, we focus on what is, and then govern ourselves accordingly.

Whether we believe the reported numbers are insignificant when compared to seasonal flu or whether we think these growing numbers are a harbinger of massive future despair, the numbers are the numbers and it is my opinion that our best course of action is to do everything possible to keep ourselves, and those around us as a safe as possible.

Many experts have told us that for them, this is a new experience, that they are on a learning curve and the one thing they do know is that they don’t know how much they don’t know.

If the experts are unsure of how best to bring this to an end, then surely those of us who are mere laypeople should not delude ourselves into thinking that we know with any certainty more than, or different than, these experts do.

If ever the world called for its inhabitants to exercise common sense, now is the time to do so.

And common sense means accepting it is what it is, not responding from positions of panic and reminding ourselves that everything we do, or don’t do, may produce a devastating, negative unintended consequence for someone else.

This too shall pass.

Till we read again.