“Ordeal” or “Adventure?”

11 Aug 16

“Every day is ‘ordinary,’ until it isn’t!”

Bernard Cornwell

From a friend in NY:

“While driving last evening, I saw a massive pillar of smoke erupting from neighboring Lockport. A large fire had broken-out at a tire-recycling plant.

It was massive and resulted in emergency evacuations of hundreds of surrounding homes for several blocks within the city. Flabbergasted displaced residents looked like columns of pitiable refugees fleeing a foreign invasion!

The “take-home message’ is this:

Altogether unforeseeable events can unfold with such blinding speed that we’ll be forced to grab whatever we can and evacuate with only a few minutes’ warning. In fact, we may suddenly find ourselves run out of town with little more than what we’re wearing and maybe what is in our car!

Accordingly, we all need to maintain a high state of personal readiness. A ‘Basic Kit’ needs to be constantly ready to go, at a minute’s notice!

That important lesson hit me square in the face as I watched!”

Comment: The delusional notion of “entitlement” is common to all who do poorly in emergencies! When things suddenly go in the toilet, you’ll predictably hear them whining with something like, “This is so unfair,” ad nauseam.

Life does not consist of a series of “guarantees,” although seedy politicians would have us believe that it is possible. Think about disaster ahead of time. Plan accordingly. Always be looking for a way to win, not an excuse to lose!

Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate. Don’t ask permission (you don’t need it). Don’t apologize. Don’t look back. And, always call their bluff.

Don’t expect to be thanked!

Attitude is the only difference between an “ordeal” and an “adventure!”

/John