ABOUT THE BOOK To Prepare is to make ready beforehand, like athletes do in practice games. To Prepare to Prepare is what to do right for the Practice games, as is done in the classroom and locker room before doing the practice. Top athletes even prepare apart from their teammates so as to make ready in advance to take advantage of opportunities. This is like making a model before doing the building. These seeds were implanted in my mind during daily “Family Talks” when I was a boy—which I also continued with my children. This mythology story about " Opportunity " concerns the God Portunus--the protector and the leader of ships into ports and harbors. His job was to go out to meet each ship coming in from the sea and guide that ship into dock. Portunus was hairy in front and bald behind. Can you guess why? The reason for the hair in front was so that while guiding into harbor each ship -- ships coming in from sea -- he could be grabbed onto by his chest hair. His back was bald because anyone who missed his hair in front lost the chance of catching Portunus -- or opportunity -- as he fled away. After hearing that, I asked some of my senior citizen newspaper customers. And a theme of what they said was that “opportunity is seldom presented and easily lost”; that “the door of opportunity suddenly opens a little and then quickly closes.” Nevertheless, contrary to contemporary wisdom favoring exports over imports, back then imported commodities--based on their worth and value--were much needed and desired. To choose any port in a storm is often the most opportune way of proceeding when in a tough spot, itself attracting more difficulties. Etymologically, (C12) since winds blow ships in the harbor’s direction, " Opportunity " came to mean convenient, serviceable, ‘favoring ones needs.” Wise people prepare in their youth to be able to take care of themselves alone, when they are at their worst + for their old age. These are effective in not increasing needless problems for oneself. I learned all of this during my Boy Scout day’s in the motto: “Be Prepared.” This means one is always in a state of readiness in mind, spirit, body, and reserves to do what suddenly has to be done. This was also part of what my wonderful all-Black community drilled into my mind: “the gods help them that help themselves” (Aesop, the C6 BC Ethiopian); and “if you want the job done right, do it yourself.” The force of ones Being always comes from ones in-most illumination where resides ones indwelling Cosmic Intelligence. The best advice can come from those who have already modelled ones present experiences. The best others can do is things of low level Importance so as to have ones time freed to devote to Necessities. My practice is to go about the Necessities and Important as if there was no friend to help—and that has been almost invariable—and no one offers help. This requires Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy (“I can handle anything that is about my assigned Mission in life”). Stay free of leaning on anyone and of anyone leaning on you—both fundamental in being able to struggle through the toughest of problems—a root of all true growth. Strive for Human Perfection.