Getting Ready For The Unthinkable?

Living a careless life is everyone's dream and some of us, the lucky ones do to a certain age, but then, like it or not, you need to realize that taking things for granted can only harm you. The sooner you realize it, the better for you. Life is taking care to send you reminders and it's up to you if you want to take these reminders seriously or not. You can ignore them, but then I'm certain you'll be paying the price.

Up until now, I can't really complain, I would be really ungrateful if I would. I can't say my life was totally carefree and health wise I had no issues, but compared to less fortunate people, I can consider myself lucky. However, there were times when life reminded me that not everything is guaranteed and what you consider normal and take for granted, could be taken away from you in a split second.

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Last week I was in the kitchen, prepared my self a tea to close the evening. The tea was on the kitchen table, I went to turn off the light and then picked up the tea mug from the table, while it was pitch dark in the kitchen. I had to make 3 steps from the switch to the mug and knew exactly where it was and could pick it up without any problems.

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Walking with a walking stick, even when the back pain is basically unbearable is already my specialty, I've learnt to get through those tough days, but I should stop procrastinating as there are other skills I should learn.

Let me ask you a few questions:

  • Can you eat with your other hand?
  • Can you write (no matter how bad) with your other hand?
  • Can you do things with one hand?
  • Do you know where your things are, in the dark? If there's a blackout or you lose your eyesight all of a sudden, can you find your things?
  • Can you walk with a cup in your hand, without spilling it?
  • How well can you do if your life takes an unexpected turn?
  • Have you thought about times when things turn to worse and you will not be able to live like you do now?
  • Are you taking everything for granted?
    Can you do a challenge without cheating?

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Two weeks ago I talked to a guy who was boasting with staying without food for 3 days, only living on water. I know him well, he's the type who always eats all of the leftovers of the group in the restaurant and if you invite him to lunch and put more food on the table, than the number of portion it's needed, you'll be left with empty plates as he won't get up, till he eats everything. So I asked him if he really only had water, and he admitted that he had coffee with honey and alcohol too. Needless to say alcohol has a lot of calories and honey too, so ... basically he cheated. That is not surviving solely on water. That is fooling yourself, or trying to fool others and yourself too.

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Back when I was at the beginning of my 20's, I had a dream, or a wish, to participate in a survival training, to learn what is needed in case sh*t happens and get some skills, but that did not happen. Now I'm not so eager anymore as I value my comfort more and somehow I'm not so eager to go through the suffering such a training course requires, but I still want to learn a few simple skills that could help me during tough periods of life.

During the covid lockdown, I remember how many were complaining due to restaurants and fast food venues being closed down. Those who used to access these services day by day saw themselves at the brink of starving to death and desperation kicked in. I'd like to cook my meal and eat what I cook, so I said to myself, if I have water and gas, could survive a month or two without supplies.

Having two left hands and two left feet, relying on others to supply you everything for your cozy life may be the ideal thing for you, but once circumstances change, I'd like to be ready to still live a life, somehow.

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How do you manage to make all your photos look like oil on canvas? 😍 By the way, this plant in the pictures reminds me a lot of currants, I just google it to see what is it actually.

Can you eat with your other hand? - Yes.
Can you write (no matter how bad) with your other hand? Yes, realy bad, but yes. xD
Can you do things with one hand? Yes.
Do you know where your things are, in the dark? If there's a blackout or you lose your eyesight all of a sudden, can you find your things? Usually I do, even if it's a mess everywhere. 😄
Can you walk with a cup in your hand, without spilling it? Haha, 50-50%.
Can you do a challenge without cheating? Yes if I realy want to and no if I don't. xD

How do you manage to make all your photos look like oil on canvas? 😍

Wuut? I'm shocked honestly, I don't consider my photos special. I mean I do my best to take the best photos I can, but don't have professional camera. Thanks for the nice words though.

By the way, this plant in the pictures reminds me a lot of currants, I just google it to see what is it actually.

They may look like currants, but they are not. These are growing on trees and you can find both red and yellow ones. I don't know what they are called, but I always take photos of them as they look nice.

About your answers, looks like you're doing great :)

Found them on Google, and it seems like those are perfect for garden. I think it would look nice in every backyard, especially when it's all green around. 😍

I once had a surgery on a leg and I basically couldn't walk, I had to learn to move on the house just with 1 leg and moving around using fornitures and arms... Life can fuck you up in ways you can't even imagine, I don't think any training can make you ready for what can happen, there is so much crap you can't even imagine... However I can even climb stairs on the dark without a light and walk without spill 🤣

I don't think any training can make you ready for what can happen, there is so much crap you can't even imagine...

That is true, but still, learning to get out of your comfort zone and do things you usually don't, doesn't hurt.

However I can even climb stairs on the dark without a light and walk without spill 🤣

I forgot to mention in the post, when we were school kids, there was a power outage every single day between 6pm and 8pm. We were let go from school at 6pm and walked home in the dark. We lived on the 4th floor and walked up the stairs every single day in the dark. I know how many steps are on each floor and can walk with my eyes closed any given day 😄

Haha yea I think after a while it becomes like muscles acting by memory

Can you eat with your other hand? YES
Can you write (no matter how bad) with your other hand? YES
Can you do things with one hand? YES
Do you know where your things are, in the dark? If there's a blackout or you lose your eyesight all of a sudden, can you find your things? YES, We live with daily blackouts 😟
Can you walk with a cup in your hand, without spilling it? Under normal conditions, YES
How well can you do if your life takes an unexpected turn? I think I would adapt to the new situation
Have you thought about times when things turn to worse and you will not be able to live like you do now? If I can't live like this now, it will be because things haven't gotten any worse. 😟
Are you taking everything for granted? No, I like to compare, what I don't have clear
Can you do a challenge without cheating? Of course!

If you're from Venezuela, oh wait, I just checked, it's Cuba, even worse. I can imagine how much your life has deviated from normal. It's terrible though and I wish it could change soon. I don't know for how long that inhuman life can continue. Fingers crossed for you all.

Thank you @erikah. I hope life gets better around here

Almost 7 years ago, I broke my right wrist. And during recovery, I promised myself that I would practice using my left hand to do everything I could.

Your list reminds me that I've lost that habit. So I have set myself reminders to get back to left-handed tasks. I'm also reminded of my favourite dad joke...

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous! 😂

!BBH

And during recovery, I promised myself that I would practice using my left hand to do everything I could.

I did that as well, when I had an inflammation on my right hand and it lasted a few days, after when I went back to my old habits and forgot about it. So a good reminder to practice more :)

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous!

🤣

The berry/seed clusters look like the pyracantha bushes here on the east coast, only here they are bright red. I've never seen a yellow one. Wasn't sure if it was the same thing or not. Very pretty though. I'd love to have a yellow one.

Life is full of surprises, a total understatement I know. I hurt my left knee right before I was 50. It got better and for years, only acted up occasionally a few days here or there. After covid started, it went south after I climbed a ladder where the rungs were too far apart, to change a burned out light bulb in the kitchen ceiling fixture. I got it done, but the day after, that knee went out worse than ever. I rolled around the house on the hardwood floors in the rooms that have it on my office chair and I bought a rolling tray like hair dressers and tattoo artists use for their tools so I could load it in the mornings with my water and breakfast and push it back to the room where I work.... and take it back the same way of course. I also bought a shower stool...talking about feeling my age! As much as I could not believe it had happened like that, I was pretty proud of myself for being so innovative.

I do know there can be unexpected changes that can show up by surprise that are not so easily figured out. I know I cannot be prepared for everything. I try not to think on it so much and borrow the trouble before it gets here. That doesn't mean I should not practice writing with my left hand. I use to think I was semi-ambidextrous, but not totally. I'm sure my left hand writing would be atrocious !

Always things to ponder.

They are pyracantha trees. Thanks for naming them. I know them, but have never been bothered to look them up to put a name to the plant. We have mostly yellow ones, but red too.

I'm sorry to read you had to go through all that pain and discomfort. Unfortunately no one is an exception, bad things can happen to good people so quickly. The difference between people is, some adapt and find a way to get through the rough times, while others prefer to play the victim.

I use to think I was semi-ambidextrous, but not totally. I'm sure my left hand writing would be atrocious !

I understand you perfectly.

I had an inflammation on right hand and asked my brother to help shopping. He asked me to write a list, which I did, but some letters were written backwards 😂

There's room for improvement, that's for sure.

Write a list!! ha ha.... yeah...

Now I believe I have to make a piece of collage paper and write on it with my left hand, you know, like the asemic writing where it looks like writing but you can't read it. I've made some where I wrote things so sloppy and linked together that you can't read it and others where it was just jibberish, but never with my left hand. That will be fun.

I'm definitely not a "victim" kind of woman. Sure, I've had bad surprises and unhappy events and etc, but you know, that is just life. Nobody gets through it unscathed. I might take a day or two to let it soak in, but then my brain is automatically figuring out how I will get around or through it. Adapting is a huge strength, especially in aging.

heart felt and realistic, too many stumble through this life from cradle to grave without a problem without a thought without a care. One becomes more focussed when you are an angel with broken wings. To not be able to get around would be devastating for me, I don't do exercise and shit but I do stuff, thankfully pain free.

Never take anything for granted.

Yup, life reminds you from time to time that what you have can be taken away from you and you better listen.

Spot on 👍

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