Page 14 - March 2020

FROM THE DESK

Trying Times

PJ Kleffner, DTM - Program Quality Director

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” yes, even our Toastmasters meetings. Remember
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt uttered the good old days when the only thing on your
those words in 1933, he was addressing a nation mind was fear of public speaking? Now I’m
that was in a panic over the extreme measures thinking, “Did the Toastmaster just cough into

needed to overcome the Great Depression. that hand I’m shaking?” “Did that person sitting
When I was young, the threat of total nuclear next to me just come from visiting their sick
annihilation was what triggered our fear and parent at the nursing home?” “Will I run out of

anxiety attacks. In addition to routine fire toilet paper?”
drills, we also practiced assuming the position The things that are really keeping me up at
to save ourselves in case of a nuclear attack by night are how to finish our Division contests
those commies that were lurking around every online, and how to schedule an in-person District
corner. We knelt by our desks, heads down, with Conference when we don’t know for sure when

one forearm protecting our eyes and the other the social distance restrictions will be lifted. As
protecting the back of our neck, while our little a chronic planner, all the uncertainty fuels my
behinds were sticking up in the air. As an adult anxiety levels. Unfortunately, fear and anxiety

with a better grasp of physics, I now realize that often develop a reinforcing feedback loop until
those measures would do little to help us survive they take on a life of their own and prevent us
a nuclear blast. The only good they would do was from thinking and acting rationally. The only
to put us in a better position to facilitate kissing solution is to plan, plan, plan! Yes, plan, then
our butts goodbye. make contingency plans, and then contingencies

When I was a little bit older, but still during the for the contingency plans.
Cold War, I remember hearing a radio interview With all the uncertainty, I’m reluctant to give
where the speaker told us that it would not be you any dates, but I’ll go out on a limb. I can

a massive nuclear explosion that would get us. tell you with 100% certainty that the District 7
Antibiotic-resistant, microscopic critters would Conference will NOT happen as planned on April
lead to the demise of all human beings. We’ve 24-25. We are currently trying to secure a venue
managed to keep developing new antibiotics to for June 5-6, but stay tuned! We will update the
stay one step ahead of the ever-evolving bacteria, D7 Events Calendar and the Conference website

but they don’t do any good against viruses. when we have new information. Meanwhile,
That brings us to the coronavirus pandemic my advice comes from the British World War
which is dominating the news. We’ve seen its II poster. . . “Keep calm and carry on”.
effect at the grocery store, sporting events, and

14 ONE COMMUNITY