| There are two, different people in this world: the active and the passive, victors and victims, overcomers and the overcome, the self-reliant and the dependent. The good news is that you get to decide which category you are in. Your attitude and your subsequent actions determine whether you are active, self-reliant, and victorious or whether you are passive, dependent, and a victim. Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into trouble and regret it later. (Prov 22:3, GNT)
Life Happening Hurricane Katrina, and most natural disasters for that matter, are a crucible that reveals one’s attitudes. The official narrative is that only “rich” people (and those privileged by birth) could afford to do other than sit and wait for the disaster to unfold. In reality, it was attitude that led to the exodus prior to the disaster1,2. Attitude also played a key part of those who stayed, but were prepared for the disaster. Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. – (various) Your grandparents knew this to be true. They knew that disasters happen, that people die, and they assumed that no one was coming to help them. They knew these facts and they prepared for them. They canned food, saved money, made plans, made connections with their neighbors, kept supplies on hand, and had backup plans. They knew that there will always be ‘victims’ in this world and that even the best prepared lose their equipment and supplies, so they kept extra on hand to help their neighbors.
Remember these? The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help. – Ronald Reagan But, I pay tax dollars! It’s the governments job to take care of me. Except, that even when FEMA (or it’s latest, “alphabet-soup” replacement) arrives, it’s likely to be too little, too late.
So what can you do? Forget everything you learned about ‘prep-ing’ on the Discovery Channel(TM) or the History Channel(TM).
“Average Joe” prepper – Get out of debt and stay out of debt. It’s difficult and/or impossible to stay home or bug out, purchase supplies, or have options if you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck. Final thoughts: When you’ve secured yourself and your family, work towards helping to secure your community. Zombies won’t be showing at on your door, looking for brains. But, in any disaster, someone is going to be the “unlucky one” who loses everything. If you are prepared, but you lose everything when disaster strikes, where are you going to turn for help? What happens if your family, friends, or neighbors show up on your doorstep looking for food and water? If everyone is prepared and ready to help, no one starves to death in the “Superdome”.
Preparing the wrong way This isn’t “prep-ing”. This is being realistic about life and the world in which we live. We are preparing for known and knowable disasters, so that they become an inconvenience to endure instead of a life-threatening disaster to survive. If you need practical help, ask your local, friendly Mormon – they’ve been doing this for well over 100 years (just be prepared for the pitch to join their church). So, which type of person are you? Self-reliant or just reliant? Note: Ref:
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