Benjamin Franklin once wrote that “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” While this is a strong statement, it’s also at least a little true, especially when it comes to something as difficult to predict, complicated, and messy as life itself. A critical part of being prepared is also having the ability to handle anything, but especially those big and unexpected turns of events.
This wisdom can be applied to even something as seemingly straightforward and routine as to where one chooses to get their teeth cleaned. Usually, one would engage in research such as asking which clinics take the correct insurance, price of the cleaning, best practices, and so on, but what would not be done, necessarily, is to plan for the unexpected. Even in this seemingly safe scenario, it can still be important to remember that, like with all things, there is a degree of risk involved, and a patient should be prepared for that. This is the case for all things, including more momentous and less routine milestones in life.
For example, when someone looks to adopt an animal, such as a puppy, it’s easy to become wrapped up in the easily foreseeable needs of the pet such as the pet bed, food, backyard size, leash, routine vet appointments, and so on. What becomes easy to forget, however, is that a pet owner should also be prepared for pet emergencies, and should have either pet insurance on hand or a fund set aside for those emergency vet bills, which are a great deal more expensive than regular veterinarian care. One does not always expect their new puppy to eat the holiday chocolates that were accidentally left out, but it’s actually a pretty frequent occurrence among pet owners. For the pet owner that was prepared for the unexpected, their puppy should be just fine!
On that same train of thought, humans themselves are often the victims of unexpected medical emergencies, even from the time of birth. Becoming a new parent is an extremely exciting and happy time in a person’s life, but what is often overlooked is that pregnancy itself can become a life-threatening emergency for the mother, child, or both. These traumatic birth injuries can result in life-long issues for the child, especially. For this reason, and in the spirit of being prepared for the unexpected, it can be crucial to understand the risks of childbirth and the things new parents can use to mitigate these risks such as understanding their rights as patients, retaining counsel such as a child birth injury lawyer, and knowing the warning signs of a risky birth that should absolutely be talked about with the mother’s obstetrician.
During life’s more exciting milestones, preparing for the unexpected can seem like it might be a damper on the occasion. However, by taking the time to research plans for “just in case,” a person can rest assured knowing that their big moments are as safe as can be from failure or heartbreak.
Read Also: 15 Stress Management Tips and Tricks You Need to Know