Preparedness: Not Paranoia

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance*

In our grandparents’ time, being prepared was simply a way of life. It’s what a person did and was considered common sense. No one would have accused them of being paranoid for stocking up on vital supplies. In fact, they understood it was their responsibility to not be a burden to their neighbors after a tornado, blizzard or thunderstorm caused havoc throughout the state.

Nature hasn’t changed much since then, except to say that she actually seems more pissed off right now. So why do we have the shift in attitude by the general public that if you plan for emergencies you are labeled paranoid? Are we so entranced with our everyday technologies that we can’t see how vulnerable we’ve become without them? Or is it more about hiding our heads in the sand and pretending that nothing bad is ever going to happen?

I think it’s a matter of finding a balance. None of us wants to live in a perpetual state of fear and paranoia. My advice: refuse to give in to the fear mongers, but don’t close your eyes to the responsibility of making sure your family has at least the bare necessities of preparedness in case of an emergency.

I was fortunate. I grew up around gardening, canning, root cellars, orchards, fishing and hunting. The simple lifestyle of those days is all but gone in most places in this country. But it is not completely forgotten. I believe self–reliance is a good thing. It was at the heart of the founding of our country… as pioneers crossed the land it helped build our small communities and towns. It’s only in recent years that we have abandoned the practice of preparedness.

If we can be bothered to relearn some of these forgotten lessons in common sense our families will discover new-found peace of mind, independence and freedom.