I grew up with the motto, Be Prepared.
This was very useful because we lived in a rural setting with no houses nearby so you couldn’t go to the neighbors’ house to borrow a needed tool or recipe ingredient. The grocery store was 20 miles away so it wasn’t easy to pick up bread or milk or whatever you might have run out of, so we kept a well-stocked pantry and freezer.
Even though I live in a neighborhood now – and have for years – I still tended to keep extra supplies on hand, in order to be prepared for a change in plans or an unexpected circumstances.
Still, though, despite preparations, there are some things for which we are never quite prepared.
Recently, I’ve had some instances of re-visiting my poetry chapbook, Hearts. The poems center on my mother, especially her final years when she was living with heart failure. We knew that she was slowly dying and tried to prepare but, when the time came, it was still somewhat of a shock. I know from discussions I’ve had with others that our preparations for loss are seldom adequate.
For me, there is, though, a certain comfort in trying to prepare, even when my preparations aren’t sufficient.
I’ll keep trying…
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Linda’s prompt for Stream of Concsiousness Saturday this week is to base your post on a word the starts with “pre.” Join us! Find out more here: https://lindaghill.com/2026/02/20/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-21-2026/
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Joanne Corey 
growing up that way, it would be hard to live otherwise and probably a good way to be
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Unfortunately I don’t think there is preparation for losing someone you love. It hurts either way. But I know sometimes it gives a little strength to keep moving toward the inevitable.
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Sometimes, too, there is support in making preparations for a death. Hospice services helped us with my mom’s illness. It was helpful to have that support at a difficult time.
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Yes, I agree! When my dad was nearing his last few days I was so grateful that Hospice understands that you need help letting go, not dragging their life on just to do so medically! What a difference between the hospital and hospice. I understand they both have jobs to do but when you are in it, the people who work for Hospice are so nice
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❤
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It’s smart to be prepared, like with non-perishable food and supplies, but I don’t think we can ever be completely prepared for the death of a loved one.
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True. I’ve had the experience of dealing with unexpected and anticipated loss. For me, they feel different but there are always surprising reactions, even when you have been able to prepare for the death in advance.
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I agree with JoAnna. Even when you know, when you prepare, it’s still a shock.
Much easier to stock extra cans of tomatoes and TP! 😉
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True!
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