NY RAT,

Try explaining to them that the best time to fix the roof is when it is NOT raining; the same applies to being prepared.

Take the time to learn new skills, read up on history, the mishaps and misadventures etc. of others. Learn from their mistakes. Realize that not everybody has the mindset that YES, bad things can, will AND DO happen to good people.

Think about whom you'd really rather be, the person looking for help because they did not take the time to prepare for the unexpected (and/or reasonably obvious) to the most likely of mishaps to run into,

OR

for example, the person that stood back and said, hmmm..."you know, it IS possible that I could be that person on the side of the road changing a tire without a flashlight, hey, I better do something about that >and starts carrying a flashlight (with good batteries and spare lamp, or better yet a light emitting diode type of light) and starts checking their tires on a regular basis to help prevent being part of the cause of the flat tire.

As far as their comments about "the big one" or "the end of the world as we know it", I view them as just rationalization, along the lines of "if I can't survive [fill in the blank with a big ugly unlikely happening here] then there is no use in being prepared at all." OUCH!

Well if the worst does happen, then there may be little that we can really do to be prepared except to hole up in a cave etc. However the reality of it as I see it, is that we need to continue our lives and it is much more likely that we will be able to prepare for many of the other hopefully less drastic possibilities without getting crazy about it.

Many times I've found that being prepared is often some relatively small actions or items that make a big difference for myself of others around me. Hopefully it will always be the smaller things that crop up and we won't have to use the bigger things, tools, knowledge etc.,

BUT

if we do need them, isn?t it much better to be at least as prepared as practical for the given circumstances rather than being stuck saying one of the many rueful mantras such as: "I could have, I should have, I wish I'd have done this or that differently".

Hey, when someone is not appreciative of your efforts to be prepared and mocks your efforts, just let it slide off, it is not your fault that they have not experienced the "Ah HA!" moment (yet).

Often it seems that when I turn the question around and ask them ?Why NOT be prepared, if even just a little bit?? many times they cannot offer any kind of real practical answer as to why they have not prepared themselves for any of life?s little (or big) misadventures that seem to lie in wait for us (along with Murphy's Laws to create opportunities for us to solve their challenges which generally seem to occur when we are least ready for a new challenge).

Can we actually be prepared for every possible contingency? Rather unlikely. My approach is to be prepared for the events that have the most likelyhood of happening, and customizing the preparations for the different scenarios in my life, i.e. Home / Office / Travel / Boating / etc. Be flexible and take the appropriate approach to each situation that we anticipate being in with the most likely contingencies being addressed. Between that and trying to remain aware of ones surroundings and what is going on in your vicinity, you will find that you will be better prepared (and hopefully less surprised / off guard) when soemthing does go awry.

Something that has been remarked upon by folks (with more knowledge than I) is that with Mother Nature (and Life in general) the exam is often given first, and then the lesson is taught. This can be a painful educational process, hopefully it will be survived, sadly however, it is sometimes taught to the dead and/or dying and the lesson never gets passed on to help others.

When I?m able to help others I try to do so, I try to avoid confrontations when able, and I try to help educate folks when the time is right, and sometimes I?ve had occasion to believe that perhaps Mark Twain was entirely correct when he said something along the lines of, ?Never try to teach a Pig to read, it?s a waste of time and it annoys the Pig?. There are those that simply either aren't ready to learn / can?t / won?t listen or learn or simply believe that "the system" and/or everyone else in the world will help them out anytime that they need it. Sometimes all that can be said to them is "hey, the bus is leaving, with or without you".

The bottom line for me (as nicely stated by others posting above) is that it is better to BE prepared and (hopefully not need) than TO NEED AND NOT HAVE.

>Hmmm...I'll climb down of the soap box now. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <grin>

Regards,
Comanche7