Planning for the Unplanned

There is purported to be a Chinese curse that goes "May you live in interesting times". The gist of the curse is that the time periods that people find most interesting are those of war, pestilence, and natural disasters. In that regards, recent history has been interesting. How can we plan for future "interesting" events? Should we all start hording food, medicine, and building bomb shelters?

I remember the Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared. In Boy Scouts we talked about that motto and what it meant. In a nutshell, it means being ready for anything that happens. In a simple sense it means thinking ahead and being ready for what might happen (i.e. bringing waterproof matches for a camping trip where it might rain). But in a much larger sense it means ready to cope with life's events, both planned and unplanned (i.e. learning how to start and tend that campfire in the rain ... it takes a lot more than just waterproof matches).

So planning for the unplanned goes well beyond stocking car kits and home survival kits. Well beyond having things that are ready. It starts with knowing what to do. Learning how to cope with unplanned events. A good dose of first aid and survival training can really come in handy. Planning includes plans for contacting and reuniting with loved ones if separated, plans for obtaining needed medicine or care, dealing with pets, dealing with dangerous situations like gas leaks and exposed electrical wires. It involves knowing how to dealing with emotional and possibly frantic or unethical people. Then you can make preparations and get things ready.

There are many websites for disaster preparedness, including FEMA and their preparedness library. Planning for the unplanned starts with educating yourself.

It is yours to choose how prepared to be. I certainly don't have a bomb shelter. But my family has plans and items in place in case something dramatic does happen. I know that in times of major crisis it is delusional to think I can rely soley on emergency services or on others. Yet that is what most people do...

Remember, there are three kinds of people: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Which are you? The distinction can really become evident during times of crisis...

I also learned to be ready for the small things. While in college I bought a used car from a couple. When I got it home and was cleaning it out I found a tupperware container stowed under the seat filled with all sorts of stuff I hadn't thought of carrying in a car. There was a pad of paper, pencil, change for a payphone, safety pins, string, sewing kit, plasticware, a small pocketknife, flashlight and other useful items. That was in addition to packets of aspirin, ointment, tweezers, first aid tape, antiseptic wipes and bandages. All in a small kit. Yes, I called them about finding it but they never got around to picking it up. So I used that kit for many years for many things (mostly helping other people) and now carry it behind the seat in my truck. It taught me that it is good to be prepared for the small things as well as the big.

Are you prepared for interesting times?