We are living in the most worrisome, uncertain and swiftly changing time in our lives. Many of us find it hard to take a break from the unfolding pandemic, even for an evening. All of us have been personally affected in some way — if only by shelter-in-place orders and endless hours online. Others are coping with illness, grievous loss and worry about this month\u2019s rent and future economic security. While no one is exempt, some members of our Temple community have been and will be hit much more severely than others.<\/p>\n
How can our Temple Law community to come together and not only survive, but thrive? Two key values can help us through. First, we can each take responsibility to our collective well-being. Reach out to support each other, if only to listen. Second, we need the courage to be vulnerable. We can let others know that we need their aid. Responsibility and vulnerability further each other.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve learned first-hand the power of support from the Temple Law community. In the past few years, I cared for my beloved parents through their decline, mourned their passing, and then encountered my own serious health issues. I shared these challenges with my colleagues and students and discovered that opening my own vulnerability to others led to two remarkable responses.<\/p>\n
My students and colleagues surrounded me with emotional support and practical assistance. My wonderful Section 2 Torts and seminar students rallied around me throughout these trials. Teaching them was my respite from loss and illness, and their full engagement kept carrying me back into my love of teaching. Colleagues and students cheered me on, sent kind notes, let me know they valued my efforts. When I couldn\u2019t teach, my amazing colleagues taught as needed, and my students stepped up and led thought-provoking class discussions that focused us on how family laws and policies treat our most vulnerable populations in this challenging time. They made our work together matter.<\/p>\n