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One of the most notable things about this most recent experience with Irene, with our friend Irene, was that there was an amazing amount of planned response. I mean, we had so much warning that we were able to,

in most parts of the region that were affected, had a chance to prepare,

and of course there were some that still got very terribly hit.

Not always the case with intense weather systems. There are quakes and tsunamis and other things

where we don't have a chance to prepare. And it's also true in our inner life that things happen

to us. We have accidents or problems with our health or financial difficulties or loved ones, things that happen.

And there's not really a chance to prepare ourselves.

And instead of that readiness, which really makes a difference in our life,

quality of presence and readiness that really can handle,

we flip into reactivity.

And I'd like to share one of my best examples on this.

This is a man who's responding to a request from an insurance company for more information.

He says, in response to your quest for additional information in block three of the accident report form,

I put in poor planning as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter I should explain more

fully. I trust the following details will be sufficient. I'm a bricklayer by trade. On the day of

the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building.

When I completed my work, I discovered that I had 500 pounds of bricks left.

Rather than carrying them down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel attached to the side of the building.

Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out, and loaded the brick onto it.

Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks.

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