Stop the Nagging Now

April 25, 2012

This morning, I have an appointment with my doctor. I’m not sick; I’m going for a routine physical to make sure that I’m in good shape. I’ve been blessed with good health most of my life.

During the visit, however, I’m going to talk with my doctor about a tender area around my left knee. I strained it during a backpacking trip last fall and it has occasionally bothered me since. It’s not debilitating, but kind of a nagging pain that recurs every so often. It’s very tolerable and probably not worth mentioning.

But should I tolerate it? No, I don’t think so. Should I mention it? Yes, I’m going to.

Ten years ago, my answer would had been different. Sure, I was younger and my body healed better then. But also my mindset was different. I was less focused on being prepared for an uncertain future. Now, I’m looking at a future that is less clear, less certain. There seems to be a dark cloud just over the horizon and it may be heading this way. And I want to be prepared.

So, we’re looking to take care of those nagging to-do list items around the house and in our lives that have grown over time.

Consider the following as a few examples of what I’m talking about. (These examples are made up issues, not the actual ones that we’re clearing up.)

Tooth ache. While the pain may be manageable now, left unattended the tooth could get worse and even abscess over time. Under normal circumstances, this would mean an emergency appointment with the dentist. But what if we aren’t under normal circumstances? It’s better to have this resolved sooner rather than later.
Leaky toilet. Minor home repairs can be an annoyance. Who wants to fix a leaky toilet after working all day? Most of us have better and more important things to do. Yet, by postponing it, we’re literally allowing money to go down the drain.
Automotive maintenance. Automobiles are a way of life in suburbia. In many places you simply cannot commute to the store, to your place of business, or to the dentist without a vehicle. Of course, some cities have a good mass transit system, but not everyone has that luxury. In fact, should a TEOTWAWKI type event happen, you’ll likely depend heavily on your vehicle for mobility. (The exception of course is an EMP event in which case many people believe that all vehicles manufactured after ~1980 will be rendered useless.)
New roof. Minor home improvements are one thing, but a major item such as a new roof or repairing the leaking windows is much more significant. In normal times, repairs such as these can be costly and, if neglected, can permit cosmetic and even structural damage to occur. It’s far better to get these items resolved sooner rather than later. In a post-TEOTWAWKI world, we may not have access to the materials required for these repairs.
Physical health. Many people, particularly in America, live a very sedentary life style. We work all day and come home to sit on the couch. We know we don’t exercise enough yet we don’t have the time or energy to do something about it. That has long term impacts on your health and well being. But what if things aren’t normal? Being in relatively good shape before a major life changing event will make the transition less traumatic.

Develop a proactive attitude in your life. Take care of the things have been on your to-do list for quite some time. It’ll help you to be better prepared for an uncertain future as well as making life a little more pleasant in the meantime.