Life Lesson 03: Be Prepared

Using my lack of foresight into the liturgical calendar last week as a learning opportunity, I wanted to put something together on preparation.  I now have two different calendars that I'll be checking to make sure no more feasts sneak up on me prior to writing my reflections each week - a new step in my preparation that I have added each week.

I think preparation is one of the key attributes to staying ahead of life's troubles.  Preparation gets you in the mindset of knowing your reactions to different situations ahead of time.  Preparation instills confidence and strength to achieve your goals.  Preparation allows for the adaptability that will inevitably be needed as you navigate life's problems.  Preparation gives us the license to be proactive instead of reactive, changing the situation to be better instead of trying to fix a broken one.

Preparation takes many different forms and is an ever-evolving task.  As a kid, my first exposures to preparation were for school (homework) and for sports (practice).  We learn the fundamentals to excel in the competition and the tests we face.  The fundamentals provide the foundation to build upon with an increasingly difficult preparation with progression.  Yes, success and victory are not guaranteed, we may still get the problems wrong.  But without knowing how to do arithmetic, I would not have been able to do geometry or calculus.  

And in our relationships, this is still true.  With our families, we spend time with them, doing whatever brings us together - talking, playing, cooking - so that we can deepen our bonds and know how to react when someone needs our help.  What works to cheer my son up will not work with my wife - yes, simply knowing that is common sense, but knowing what to do is gained from my experiences with them.  And with God, it is similar.  We must spend time with God, through prayer, attending mass, reading the Bible, or whatever it is that brings you closer.  These activities strengthen our resolve and enables the courage to zig while the world zags.  

Be prepared and give yourself the chance to succeed.


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