On one hand, that's true, in that I don't know whether the next disaster will be a stock market collapse, tsumani, flu epidemic, the next 9/11, losing power for a few days, or a zombie uprising. But I'm confident that something is going to happen, sooner or later; and part of wisdom is using foresight and making preparations. We can't expect to be as omni-competent as a Heinlein hero, but there are a few things we can work on:
- Money. I had a goal for a long time to build up enough money to cover six months of expenses. Not an easy one to achieve, but a lot less worry when you've done it.
- Food and supplies. We have a couple of months of food in the pantry; other vital supplies might include first aid kit, weapon, tool kit (including tools that don't need electricity), flashlights and batteries, firewood.
- Planning. If you needed to evacuate, does your family know where you'd go and what route you'd take? If cell service is overwhelmed, do you know who's in charge of picking up the kids? Are your valuable documents, wedding photos, etc, all in one place, or scattered around the house? Do you keep your car fully fueled, or usually hover on empty?
- Knowledge. How do you keep your pipes from freezing (aside from living in a decent climate)? If you lose your utilities, do you know how to make sure you have enough water, or how to keep your frozen foods good as long as possible?
- Skills. Can you use a chainsaw? Clear a jammed pistol? Give CPR?
- Mindset. When you have a problem, do you work out what the solution must be, do you look for someone to tell you what to do, or do you panic and hope someone helps?
If you have suggestions, leave them in the comments. I might not have thought of "how to hotwire a car", for instance, but my son did.
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