Motivation logo

Take Care of the Future, by Taking Care of the Present

The Virtues of Being Prepared

By The Road to Rediscovery PodcastPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
Like

Hello fellow Roadies! Welcome to another fascinating story from the Road to Rediscovery Podcast!

The Road to Rediscovery is about reflecting on the lessons that life throws at us, to learn and grow from them, and of course, pay it forward to uplift others who are struggling.

I started mindful breathing and meditation about 3 years ago, using the “Calm” app. At the end of each session, the app displays profound, and thought-provoking phrases. There was one phrase that resonated with me; and was very relative at so many levels:

We take care of the future, by taking care of the present

But what exactly does this mean?

I’m a fan of simplified thinking. To me, examples of this are:

- The story of the squirrel and the grasshopper (storing nuts for winter...)

- The story of the race between the tortoise and the hare (steady vs. speed)

In each of these, there was one who’s efforts of the present took care of themselves for the future. And for the other, who’s inaction made them ill-prepared when that future time came.

I’ve had a rediscovery of this very principle not very long ago when I got hit with pneumonia. But to explain this, I have to rewind back to a very early time in my career - my early 20’s.

By Agê Barros on Unsplash

When I started my first job out of college, there were so many different decisions I had to make around my job, such as how much to save for retirement, and what type of medical coverage I think I need. At that point in my life, I was NEVER in a hospital, much less a Doctor’s office. But I knew I needed some sort of medical coverage in case something happened, so I enrolled for these benefits as part of my job with the company. NOW, fast-forward to current times. I’m hit with pneumonia, eventually leading me to being admitted into the hospital. I’m now in my 50’s, and before this, I’ve been in the hospital TWICE, once for prostate surgery and once for rotator cuff surgery, that’s it. But this third and most recent visit to the hospital, I found myself thinking about every little detail that happened to me: Being asked for my insurance card, filling out the admission form, getting chest X-ray and EKG and more. At this moment, I started to REDISCOVER the impact of my actions and decisions I made years ago in my 20’s (enrolling in medical benefits) that enabled me to receive the care I now needed in my 50’s. In a nutshell, the decisions I made as my younger self years ago , has taken care of my older, FUTURE self today.

After having this rediscovery, my next thoughts and feelings were those of gratitude. Thankful for those decisions and efforts. I know full well there are people in the world needing medical attention who may have limited or NO medical coverage (for reasons beyond their control); and my heart goes out to them: the possibility of being turned away for medical care, or being cared for, but now incurring HUGE out of pocket medical bills for the things not covered, for me is unnerving. With that said, please know that I truly believe the human right and need for medical care for one to be well and alive should take priority over any costs.

In closing, there’s always a silver lining, even in the darkest of days. As bad as I felt in the hospital with pneumonia, I rediscovered the importance of when you take care of the present, you’re taking care of the future. This applies to MANY different areas of our lives, not just medical coverage. And lastly, the gratitude that comes from this (I believe) gives me a feeling of humility, and the broadened awareness to not take things for granted.

thanks SO MUCH for reading this story! I truly hope its relatable and helpful to whatever challenges you’re going through. If you have a loved one who you feel can benefit from this or my other stories, I invite you to share this with them. To hear the audio versions of these stories feel free to visit www.road2rediscovery.com

We’re all ‘roadies’ on this journey of life, and it sure feels good having you on the road with me. Until next time, we’ll chat again soon!

self help
Like

About the Creator

The Road to Rediscovery Podcast

My name is Aubrey Johnson, and I am the Creator and Host of the Road to Rediscovery Podcast!

My show is about reflecting on life lessons and challenges, to learn and grow, and uplift others who are struggling through dark times.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.