Preparation

"It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible." - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The counterpoint to happiness: preparation.

I think about this in relation to my industry (it's not a question of if a government body will come, but when), but also in life. Counterbalancing yesterday's comments on seeking to be happy in the circumstances one finds now is the reality to now that events will occur. The question is, do I continue in the belief that they won't - that "bad things won't happen to me" theory - or do accept the fact that events that are bad will occur and prepare for them.

The first one is the opinion of the immature - and I've spent plenty of time there. The Firm may be the greatest example of this, but decisions on Old Home, on jobs, on any number of things could fit here as well. It's a sense in which I have consciously made the decision that I will not prepare for the occurrence of certain events, by assuming that they will not occur.

Here's the catch: those things happen. Those events occur. The question is, do I make myself ready for them coming, or am I the deer in the headlights as they briefly light up my face before they run me over.

I write this as half a dozen things float through my mind, whether work or home related. Yes, I don't want to think about them or do them. Yes, I would rather spend time on other things.

But to act as if the possibility of them occurring is null is the height of irresponsibility.