Contingencies

We gain valuable lessons from books, on whatever subject. We learn from other people's stories—why they failed, how they succeeded, what their regrets are.

They help us overcome challenges, get to our goals faster, navigate life with a little more clarity. But sometimes, or most of the time, what we learn from books are not enough.

That when we experience it for ourselves, we still get lost in the forest or fall into ravines. We still find ourselves completely taken by surprise—a complication that we didn't think of preparing for.

Maybe words can't ever fully encapsulate an experience. Maybe we simply can't read enough books to prepare for everything. Maybe our unique circumstances mold our experiences in different ways.

We should prepare for what we learn about, what we know is on the path. But we must also prepare for not knowing. To have something we can come back to, when all else fails. And at any point, we should be ready to duck, to pivot, to land safely without wheels. To improvise with calm and quick thinking.