Well, we did it. We made it a full 365 days since COVID-19 sent Southern California into a lockdown, last March. We adapted, we evolved, we stuck together (albeit at home) in hopes that if we did, the worst pandemic to strike in a century would be defeated.
Although there are bound to be gloomy days ahead of us, there are also encouraging signs that one of the darkest, most tragic years we’ve endured is slowly being driven out by the sunlight of human innovation, collaboration, and cooperation. From rapidly increasing vaccination rates to declining hospitalizations, to our slow march towards herd immunity, as the days get longer, and the sun gets stronger, hope springs eternal, indeed.
Speaking of hope, I sure hope that you’ll get into the Palm Springs spirit for our annual convention in a few weeks, even though it’s going completely virtual. Maybe don a Hawaiian shirt? Or put on a sundress for the event? (I mean, if Hollywood can get dressed to the nines for their virtual Golden Globe Awards, why can’t we dust off some of our sunny attire for our special event?)
I know we are all missing out on so many special events in Palm Springs. But we can still look forward to incredible seminars, presentations, and catching up with friends and colleagues even from a distance.
In addition to the upcoming seminar, there is reason to be hopeful that many of our other normal activities and annual events may resume in 2021, with modifications. For example, with sunny skies in the forecast, we can look forward to dinners with colleagues outside. We can meet young, up-coming advocates for coffee and mentorship. We can make plans to attend and support the outdoor events hosted by OCTLA’s Top Gun Charity Recipient, A Walk on Water, which provides life-changing surf therapy to children with unique needs.
Likewise, we can look forward to giving back to others with our school supply donations in the late summer, as our schools continue to open. Beyond that, we can be cautiously hopeful that our October 11th Columbus Day Golf Tournament, our Top Gun Awards Presentation, and other in-person events will return later in 2021.
In between the special events, there is growing evidence that with a little luck, and a lot of modifications, we’re going to slowly be able to return to courtrooms over the coming year. (With the help of the Judicial Council’s $25 million allocation to the California Courts, to help resolve backlogs and ensure in-person courtroom safety.)
So, there are glimmers of hope on the horizon, that we’re coming to the end of a long dark winter, and that better, sunnier days lie ahead for all of us. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to mark the return of the sun, than by sharing our mutual love of advocacy for others, with all of you at the 2021 Palm Springs Seminar.
I hope you’ll join me, and all our wonderful peers in Consumer Attorneys of California, Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire, and of course, Orange County Trial Lawyers April 30-May 2021.
Wishing you a safe, sunny spring.
