I was thinking about the legacy I will leave behind once I depart this world. The little things are what I remember about people once they are gone, and it got me to thinking. What would people remember about me? I have decided to chronicle some of my tips and advice for life, things I hope I have taught my children and things I think people should know about or rather what I hope they learned from me living my everyday life.
Always be aware of your surroundings and what is happening around you.
People always want to know the reason I have to be able to see the entrance door when I sit down in a restaurant. The reason is, I always want to be aware of what is going on around me. If there is trouble, 90 percent of the time, you will see it coming because you can see everyone who enters and leaves. If your back is facing the door, you could be blind sided.
Many who have severed in the military are like this, it is something we were taught from the beginning of basic training. If you can see it, you can react to it. Even if the only action you take is to hit the deck. This is a skill many have never learned, or even considered. I want to know if someone with a weapon enters a space I am occupying.
I recently read an article about a young lady who pulled into a Taco Bell and sat in her car for a few minutes checking her phone. She happened to look up into her rear-view mirror and saw a man approaching her car. She kept her cool, and locked the doors. When the man reached the rear of the car, he paused and looked around, then started slowly moving to the passenger door. The driver glanced out the window and saw a gun. She put the car in reverse, started backing out and blowing the horn. The man disappeared. There were people in the parking lot less than 3 parking spaces from her, they never saw a thing.
I wonder the reason no one else noticed? They were too busy doing their own thing, be that looking at their phones, talking to the person next to them, or just plain lack of paying attention to what was going on around them. This happened within 25 miles of my location. There is bad in this world and many are oblivious to it.
Her are some tips to help you start paying better attention to your surroundings. Start by taking a few minutes to look around before you get into or out of your vehicle. Who is around, what type vehicle is next to you on each side? Never park next to a van with no windows, When approaching your vehicle, look to see if you can see shadows on the ground on the blind side of the car. You can see under your vehicle from a distance. If there is anything on the windshield, leave it until you are out of the immediate area. Be aware of what is going on around you. Look for quick avenues of escape, both on foot and in your vehicle.
Put your phone away when you are walking, it only takes a few seconds for someone to approach you and remove your ability to break contact. I could go on about possible scenarios, the key is to start paying attention. Consider what could happen and have a plan of action prepared before the fact. Don’t be a statistic, be prepared. We have all heard about the amount of time it takes law enforcement to get to the scene and the truth of the matter is, if you are not prepared to handle the situation yourself, it will be too late.
I am not saying to not call law enforcement, they should be called. Any incident where you feel threatened or in danger is time to call them, just know it may take them some time to get there. Once they arrive, will you be able to give them a detailed description of the person or vehicle? Many cannot. Start making yourself notice details of your surroundings, and ask yourself questions 5 or 10 minutes later. Next time you pull into a parking space, mentally note the color of each car next to you. Once you get inside the store, try to recall the colors. Once that task is easy, start noting the make of the vehicle, was it a Ford, a Chevy? Do the same with people you come in contact with through the day, what type and color clothing were they wearing, distinguishing marks? You get the idea. It could come in handy in the future. You might not be directly involved, but you could be witness to something that happened.
Start paying attention and know what is going on around you.
