On Sunday, life dumped a very unpleasant surprise on me. Not unpleasant as in I will get over it unpleasant. No, this was the kind of unpleasant that involved making very fast life-changing decisions over the type of things I would rather spend months quietly assessing. I made the decisions and carried them out. But I also had my emotions to deal with: Normal responses to an extraordinary situation, plus fighting for my life to fend off a killer depression.

I'm okay now. But what I went through the past several days got me thinking. A surprise by its very nature means we are not ready for it. But does this mean we always have to be caught flat-footed? Question:

What plans do you have in place when life takes you by surprise?

Coping skills? Friends to reach out to? Feel free to share your experiences. Comments below ...