But perhaps the process of preparation has value far outside the application for that one moment. Preparing helps create those opportunities just as much as they prepare us to take advantage of them.

Instead of “preparing”, perhaps it’s just “purposeful doing”; whatever happens from that “doing” is unknown, but it’s valuable in it’s own right.

On one hand, you have the people who save up all their life in hopes of spending during their retirement years… and sadly enough pass away without having the chance to do what they ALWAYS wanted to do.

And on the other, you have the ones that go to the gym everyday to stay in great health and then are faced with cancer.

I’m maybe a little melodramatic with my examples…and my point is that we can gather all the tools necessary (and I do believe you should), but at some point, you have to make the best of it with what you have!

Are you working your ass off now (to be “ready”), but look back later and wish you had slowed down a bit.

Or do you look at the future and say, “God, I had so much time to devote to x, y, and z, and I just wasted it away.”

It’s the part after the “…” that makes it difficult. Martial artists have a pretty clearly-defined goal, as do Buddhist monks. (I assume; I really don’t know amything about Buddhism.)

What if it’s business-related? Or health-related? Or animal-related? Some (most?) opportunities might require pretty specific preparation – and you can’t get yourself “ready” for all of them.

I guess the best you can do is to always try to learn and improve yourself, do your best, and be honest, true, and helpful.

And always be willing to face and conquer your fears. That’s the hard part. If you can do that you’ll be good to go for the “every opportunity, forever” that you refer to. And that’s a pretty good deal, if you think about it.

I feel like I am constantly evolving, gathering skills and building towards what’s up ahead. (It’s amazing how all my past skills come into play in subtle and not so subtle ways almost every day.)But I’m also pleased with what I’ve accomplished so far- but there’s always a new journey, a new path, a new challenge to take on. The people that accompany you may or may not always be the same; some may join for part, and catch up again later on- but I totally believe you can be satisfied with what you’ve accomplished to date and be content, but still feel that there’s a lot of life to be lived and a lot more stuff to accomplish in this life.

Because frankly- who wants to clock in to the same thing, day after day, with no variation? I guess some people do, but that’s not me.