There are no guarantees

You can hope for the best, but you have to also be prepared for the worst. You can make plans but things don't always turn out as you had planned. Having a back up plan is necessary because there may not be anyone to back you up if you need it. It's sad but true that you can only count on yourself. You can be surrounded by people that are only around for the good times, but during bad times they are no where around if you need them. A fair weather friend will blow away the minute the stormy times come. Be honest with yourself and make sure you have what you need or be caught off guard and find that you weren't prepared for what might hit you. Friends are nice to have but remember they may just be a fair weather friend and you will experience rain from time to time.