I Wanna Be a Lifeguard...

Last week my friend came to town.  My wife and I loaded the kids in the car and took all five of us to the beach.  My wife and I were in the water with one of our girls, and the other was coming into the water.  My friend was up on the beach taking pictures of the four of us in the water...  

Our day at the beach was interrupted by a lifeguard.  I noticed her coming at me from the left, and she was intent on getting through and past our little group as soon as possible.  She was on a mission.  I did a quick assessment of our area, she wasn't running at us... Where was she going?  She blew through us and kept running.  Then she busted out into the water, and I saw her targets.  It was an older guy and a younger woman, and it looked like the woman was on a boogie board, with the guy trying to get her out of the water/waves.  The lifeguard made it, she ran probably a football field's length down the beach.  She was actually right in front of another lifeguard's chair.  The ATV came with more lifeguards.  Everything was fine, just scary.

Here is the picture as the lifeguard ran BACK through us after the emergency was over.  She had to run back to her station to be ready for the next one.  My friend just happened to snap this shot as she ran through.  Thank God she was there for the people having trouble!​

Now.  Think about this.  You never know when you or a family member needs their advance medical directive.  Or a power of attorney.  Or maybe most important, a will.  Think of me (a lawyer) as a bit of a lifeguard.  I can jump into a bad situation and possibly save you from having greater problems.  There are times that I might not make it, though, or it might be too late.  You have to take initiative and do these documents BEFORE you need them.  Its like learning to swim before you need to know how to swim in the ocean.  Sometimes a lifeguard (or lawyer) can save you from drowning (in water or legal problems) but its best if you make our jobs easier by learning to swim before you need to know how to swim (or doing your legal planning before you need your documents to help yourself, or the people who love you).