Call me a “worry-wart” or even borderline paranoid sometimes, but preparedness is one thing I take very seriously. Yes, I am that guy who practically buys a pallet of water when I do my Costco shopping to stock up his garage for the day when we finally encounter the zombie apocalypse! Perhaps it stems from growing up in earthquake-prone California my whole life and having it hammered into me that the next “big one” was inevitably long overdue to strike. Whatever it is, I am truly glad that I had a backup for a very important tool for my health recently in the form of another pair of prescription spectacles.
Like many things you stock up in the case an emergency may strike, I was sure glad that I had thought to save my old glasses when I updated to a new pair last year. Out of nowhere when I set them down one day, the weld from inside my spring-loaded frames came unsoldered, rendering them unusable. Holding them together with tape until I returned home that night, I was forced to dig my old pair out of the dresser drawer, which are luckily only half a power shy of my current prescription. Since my vision is something I rely on heavily, having it marked on my license that I need to wear them for driving, I was so glad to have a backup pair to wear during the week it took to have them fixed and back to me again.
There are many things we grow complacent with and don’t realize how important they are until they’re gone or unusable. Even something as simple as saving an old pair of work boots, in case you get your primary pair get soaking wet in the rain or snow, can make a big difference in the long run while being out on the road. Not that I am saying you should go buy two of everything you use, but more so to take consideration of the things you would not be willing to part with should the unforeseen happen. Getting certain supplies while out on the road might not be as easy as when you are parked for home time, so be sure to make a list of those important things you need to double-up on and have a backup plan for each one! You’ll thank yourself later, should the need arise!