Much of life is lived by following a plan. Well, some people do that. Others go about living without a plan, just taking in things as and when they come.
There are those that are meticulous and have plans for every event in their life. This is a different category of people, I think. This group may fall into either of the two major categories I mentioned right in the beginning.

Why all this talk about plans and no plans? Well, recently I had the good fortune to plan out a birthday party. I love doing this, and since I’ve been doing it as part of my mommy-duties, I consider myself a “pro” of sorts in this department.
So, there were two parties to plan—one on the day of the birthday and the other on the next day.

The first party was straightforward in planning. The birthday boy told me exactly what he wanted to eat, what flavour of cake he wanted. Do appreciate these inputs, because they help take away a lot of thinking energy and save a tonne of brainpower. I take these opportunities to thank the universe for giving this child so much clarity!

Coming back to the party—the food was made, some ordered. Friends came over straight from school, they were fed. Then they chilled, had fun playing some games. This was followed by an early dinner with these teenagers, who really made my cooking efforts worthwhile by polishing off the food and appreciating the Indian dishes that were so different from their usual palette.

This was then followed by dinner with close family friends. The menu remained somewhat similar with some additions and, of course, there was the cake to be cut. So this First Party ended on a good note where everything went according to plan.

The second day’s party, however, was more challenging. We had guests we were meeting or dining with for the first time. They had children whose food preferences I didn’t know. So yes, a lot of guessing work came into play.

I started putting together a menu based on a very generic thought process—what people might like to eat, what would be suitable party food, what would appeal to kids and adults alike. There were a couple of dishes I had never made before. So this was going to be a bit of a test for me. With that in mind, I went down the YouTube rabbit hole. Recipes were watched in great detail, and yes, notes were made. I mean handwritten notes—with all the marination steps, cutting and chopping that needed to be done the day before, spice blends, garnishes—everything meticulously written down in my trusted notebook.

On the day of the party, the cooking went quite smoothly. Some hiccups happened—as expected—but were managed well, thanks to years of experience. One particular vegetarian dish had me nervous, though. It was a recipe I was trying for the first time, and the chef in the YouTube video had stressed on achieving a delicate balance of flavours.

I followed the instructions to the T, did my best to balance everything, but since I had nothing to compare it with, I didn’t know how it had turned out. And that is when the panic struck. Just before serving, I thought—why didn’t I think of a Plan B? What if this dish completely flopped? I had nothing to replace it with! My only fallback would have been to order something last minute.

Thankfully, the guests were kind and generous—they loved the dish and said it was delicious. So, that ended well. The evening was filled with games, laughter, and happy, full bellies. Everyone left with lovely memories, and I was glad it all came together.

But even after the guests had left, I kept thinking—why didn’t I have a Plan B? I’ve always been someone who works with a strong Plan A, and very rarely have I needed a backup. But this experience really made me appreciate the importance of having that extra layer of preparedness.

A Plan B makes things feel safer. It makes us feel more in control. It’s like an invisible safety net that cushions your fall—if and when you need it. It doesn’t mean you doubt your first plan; it just means you’re smart enough to know that life happens. And when it does, Plan B is what helps you bounce back with grace instead of scrambling in panic.

So yes, while I’ll continue planning things the way I usually do—with passion and precision—I’ve also learned that keeping a Plan B isn’t just wise, it’s essential. It’s not a sign of weakness or uncertainty—it’s simply good sense.

Because sometimes, it’s the backup plan that saves the day. And if everything goes smoothly? Well, Plan B just gets to take the day off. 😊