John Cage said that fear in life is the fear of change. If I may add to that: nothing can avoid changing. It’s the only thing you can count on. Because life doesn’t have any other possibility, everyone can be measured by his adaptability to change. [source]

I regularly receive news of impending doom in my native country due to the rising cost of heating oil. People worrying about the coming winter, wondering if they will be able to heat their homes. It’s a serious, though inflated, concern especially for those in rural areas living on marginal incomes.
If you know change is coming and you have the means why don’t people prepare? Part of the reason lies with Eastern Canadian culture whereby when faced with change there is a over-reliance on various provincial and federal government agencies to provide answers. Unfortunately, the pace of change is too fast to rely solely on others. Government is slow and they may not have the answers in time (if ever). It’s time to look to alternatives (one, two, three), change our expectations, and enjoy the new reality?