There was the following passage in the New York Times’ (June 17) article that came under the title, “Experts on aging, dying as they lived.":
“They told us where we could find copies of their wills and health
directives, explaining that these documents clarified their wishes and
we would not have to bear the full weight of making end-of-life
decisions for them. As a teenager I hated these discussions. – – They
were reassuring me about scenarios that I did not want to think about.
I could not have known how grateful I would be now. My parents were
prepared, but that is not the same as being ready.”
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/experts-on-aging-dying-as-they-lived/?
COD defines ready as “in a suitable state for an activity or situation: fully prepared,” and OALD defines it as fully prepared for what you are going to do.
Is the difference between “being prepared” and “being ready” only whether it is “fully,” or not? Are there any significant psychological / mental attributes to “being ready” other than addition of “fully”?
Best Answer
There's a subtle distinction between the two. "Being prepared" in this case, I believe, means having done work in advance so that when the event in question occurs, there is a plan in place to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Think about a surgery: the medical team is prepared for the surgery if they have studied all of the techniques, have all of the necessary tools and specialists on hand, etc.
"Being ready," in this case, I think refers to an emotional preparedness or readiness. Going back to our surgery analogy, the surgery team may be prepared to perform a dangerous, life-or-death operation, but they may still be extremely nervous about it or otherwise be anxious that it might not go well.
I think this is the meaning intended in the piece. You can prepare for the death or incapacitation of a loved one by ensuring that there's a clear plan about what that person wants done and who will handle all aspects of what happens (being prepared), but not be okay with someone dying and not be emotionally capable of handling it (being ready).
Hope this helps!