So I was on my morning run when I passed the local elementary school and noticed that they had either a fire drill or an actual fire - people were standing on the yard and the speaker was on repeat, telling people to exit the building.
This got me thinking. (Going for a run is a good way to think to begin with.) Could this be a metaphor? Could there be a fire situation in one's own life - a situation that required a quick exit or another strategy to be executed immediately?
Yes, I thought. Something could happen that requires your immediate attention. Something that requires you to take action immediately. Not only real life fire situations and other health emergencies; sometimes you need to be ready to do something right away. Your landlord is kicking you out. Your spouse turns violent. Your child goes missing. You lose all your possessions. Your house burns down. You get into an accident without insurance.
Do you have a plan for these situations? Where do you do, where's the emergency exit?
While it's crucial to know what to do if you witness a person losing consciousness or a stove bursting into flames, it's good to have a mental manual for other situations as well. Do you have money set aside for a bad day? Do you have your essentials packed and a place to go if you have to leave your house in a moment's notice?
Think about this. While these scenarios might seem far-fetched, it costs you nothing to prepare for them. And if one or more of them do actualize, you know immediately what to do.
Have an emergency bag ready at your house. Insure your more valuable possessions and home. Have a fire extinguisher somewhere handy. Have a good friend you can rely on. Have cash set aside just in case.
It might save your life.
RK
