When all the world is running hither and thither
And no one understands a whit what is with her;
Then either you're a genius or a high level monk,
And, not understanding it, you're well likely sunk.

I thought up this little bit of doggerel as I watched and listened to the members of my work area and those out in the field becoming more and more frantic as things have become unravelled and chaotic. Either I am level-headed and calm--or I just don't understand the gravity of the situation.

If you listened to the timbre of the voices and the choices of adjectives, you'd be inclined to think the world was coming to an end and all the rats should leave the sinking ship or the slinking step--or something. Love mixing my metaphors.

I don't see it that way. I see a lot of factors tossed up in the air, stirred lightly and sprayed with frenzy. And I foresee that in a couple of weeks' time, all will have settled down to the usual stresses that happen in our industry at this time of year. Some tempers will have been frayed, apologies given, noses put out of joint and disunderstandings cleared up.
A year from now we'll wonder what all the fuss was about and pride ourselves on how well we handled it.

Five years from now we will have forgotten all about it.