With a world that is full of uncertainties, dealing with the present can be difficult, let alone planning for the future. And yet, as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail.
Our present moment is one of unusual circumstances. Everyday life has been changed, nearly beyond recognition. On top of that, things are changing very quickly. In addition to that, we don’t know how long until we can return to some semblance of normal life.
With that in mind, how do you prepare for a future that may not come? Do you try to plan for multiple eventualities? Alternately, you could do nothing, and simply let the future unfold. After all, the future is ultimately unknowable.
It can be difficult to prepare for the future under ordinary circumstances. But in the midst of unprecedented events, what do you do? How do you plan for the future?
Related questions: What do we owe the future? What can you control? How do you set priorities? What is unknowable?
I have convinced myself that I can continue to plan for the future events and milestones that still seem feasible. For example, I am still planning for a trip to Iceland this coming September. I just need to convince myself that I’ll be okay if the pandemic keeps that from happening.
As for making new plans, I am only doing that if they are possible within the confines of a “Stay at Home” order that lasts through early to mid-June. For example, I am still engaged in much planning regarding gardening.
Does preserving food count? Since my early 20’s, I’ve canned and frozen food from my garden. I mainly viewed it as a way to save the abundance of summer from going to waste, but it is also about planning for the lack of quality produce during the winter months. This pandemic has made me more grateful than ever for the knowledge of food preservation that I have acquired over the past 2+ decades.
You are an inspiration, Cecily!