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Investing
Preparing for Financial Disaster, the Green Beret and Lamaze Way
I hadn’t planned on going swimming in the Atlantic fully clothed.
But I sensed imminent disaster. A flock of twelve-year-old boys, led by my boogie-board-loving son, Lucas, would soon be headed for the west coast of Africa on a riptide if they didn’t turn back. The Brazilian lifeguards sprinting behind me confirmed that I wasn’t some crazy gringa.
The boys got an earful, and fun stayed close to shore after that.
Growing up on the Hawaiian Islands, I’ve lived through hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. I’ve read the frequent reports of drownings. Many of the victims were those unfamiliar with local conditions and overwhelmed by the sea.
As an adult, I’ve saved a couple of kids.
I fished out a toddler who rode his tricycle into a swimming pool and gave the Heimlich maneuver to a boy choking on a big wad of pizza cheese. I lost professional colleagues on 9/11, but also know many others who made it out in time. No doubt you too have your own list of disasters and close calls.
Being alive is risky.
I’m the sort who always wears a seat belt, looks at the safety information card on planes and reads disaster literature. For me, managing…
