Have you got your Plan B yet?

When life is going as per plan, seldom do we stop and check for Plan B. It is when we are hit with a sudden crisis, that we look for alternatives plans. This blog is my attempt to figure out the when, why and how of Plan B.  Maybe its called “B” because of two plausible reasons …firstly it comes after A, representing the next option & secondly maybe because Back-up begins with ‘B’

I take the example of you getting stranded on the road with a flat tyre, no mobile, no money and an important meeting. (incase you haven’t read it already, I urge you to read my blog “ can you handle this?” ( <-----just click here)

Preventive actions for above scenario could be some of these – Spare money kept somewhere in the car’s dashboard, car charger, registration with car break-down helpline etc etc.

This would be incomplete, not exhaustive and hence my request to all readers to add their thoughts in the comments section.

Some of the more extreme situations were handled by the protagonists in Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto” & Danny Boyles’ “127 hours”. I am sure most of you would have already seen either of them.

There would be many such stories but allow me to share with you a story I had read earlier. I am unable to remember  where I had read it, hence there might be a slight change in the story. Here it goes…

Once there used to be an oasis in the middle of a big, vast desert. In it was a kingdom where they had quite a peculiar way to elect the king. After the end of 4 years, the king had to be either executed in the palace or left somewhere in the desert to die. However, for the 4 years when he was the king, he had everything under his control. It had been quite some time now that the kingdom was sans a king. One day, a young man approached the ministers to claim the king’s throne. Everyone was quite surprised by this move of the young man. Soon, he was a crowned the king of that kingdom. He was a very able king and within months he was able to win the confidence of the people. Under his regime, the kingdom’s wealth had increased manifolds. Everyone loved the king. He was a very just ruler. He lowered the taxes for the common man and provided all necessary support to his people. Time was just passing by too quickly. Already 3 years had passed; suddenly the thought had 4 years been soon to be over crossed everyone’s mind.

Rule was rule, after all. Was there any way that this rule could be changed….it was the first time everyone was praying for that…..the meeting of the minister’s was called for. It was decided not to change the rule and the king could only rule for the next 1 year. The king took the decision in his stride.

The ministers were curious to see the calm with which the king was ruling the kingdom, until the second last day of his rule. The prosperity the kingdom had seen under his regime was simply unparalleled. One night they decided to spy on the king and see what he was up to. To their utmost surprise they found out from the sentry of the kingdom, that every night ever since he became the king, some of his men would travel in the middle of the night, seated on camels. They carried some luggage stuffed with them. When they used to come back, mostly after 3 days, they came empty handed. The ministers smelled a rat. They called for an important meeting early next morning.

It was a beautiful morning, the last day of the king’s rule as the stipulated 4 years had come to an end. As per the rule, the king was to step down and choose between the desert and the executioner. The ministers accused the king of theft of royal jewellery and gold. The king kept his calm and responded stating that the wealth of the kingdom had increased manifold under his regime. He was correct. The ministers didn’t have any further question to ask. The king spoke to his folks from the throne for the very last time. He said that he was indeed proud to have been a king of such a wonderful kingdom. He wished everyone happiness and success in their lives and announced his decision to sent to exile for the rest of his life.

There was a wave of sadness between the folks to hear this announcement. So it was the end of the 4 years of his kingdom and probably his death in the next 2 days. The deserts would not be able to give life to the king any further.

As he was about to leave the boundary of the kingdom, one of the ministers asked him to tell what was he smuggling out of the kingdom every night for the last 4 years. The king smiled back and responded that during the first 1 year he took the bulls and heavy equipments for levelling out the barren land about 2 days walking distance away from the kingdom.  The next year he took the best diggers to dig wells and water the grounds. The next year he took seeds and cattle stock to build up a huge poultry farm. In his last year he took the best craftsmen to build for him a magnificent palace having the best facilities. Also, during these years he had been regularly practising to walk in the desert for 2 days at a stretch and had familiarised his way from the kingdom to his new “OASIS”. With that, he moved out of the kingdom with a big smile on his face.

So, my friends this is what I wanted to share with you…PLAN B

I hope you enjoyed reading this short story which has indeed been insightful. Do remember to share your comments if you like to share them with me.

I leave you all with this thought:-

Rome was not built in one day. Every journey, no matter how long it is, starts with the first step!