Reasons to Prepare

I rarely, if ever, delve into current events or political opinions on this blog.  I don't completely understand politics or economics or global events.  I don't even pretend to.

What I do know is this:

I know that if a politician is speaking, chances are more than pretty good that he or she is lying to me.  Sincerely and with a straight face.

I know that little by little my rights as an American citizen are being undermined by those who believe that the Constitution is just an old piece of paper.

I know that the government thinks it is OK to spy on all of us.

I know that "Of the People, By the People and For the People" no longer matters to anyone in power.

And I know that very few people really care.  They are way too busy with their own lives and interests to see that the train is ready to jump the track.  And take all of us right along with it.

I am into preparing for whatever does come down the pike.  I have no idea if war or economic collapse or civil unrest will make it necessary for me to live for a time on what I have put by, as well as feed any of my family that needs to be fed.  I just know that the world has gone mad and something will happen, probably sooner than later, that will make life a lot tougher for folks than it is right now.  As the child of depression era parents, I was taught that if I didn't stock up in the summertime, I would probably be pretty hungry in the middle of the winter.  So I stock up as much as I can.

I don't have a retreat to go to like so many in the "prepping" world do, when things get bad.  I am a retired widow living on Social Security.  My husband was epileptic and diabetic.  He died from a heart attack 5 years ago.  Doctor and hospital visits, $1,400 ambulance rides that were a mile and a half long between our apartment and the local hospital and the price of the several medications he took made saving for retirement only a pipe dream.   I do not begrudge one dime spent on his health issues.  But there was nothing left over for retreats or bug-out vehicles or cases of freeze dried foods or many of the other things that modern day preppers find necessary.  My point is not that my life has been tough.  Many people have lives that have been much more challenging than mine.  My point is that even with challenges, whether it be limited income or chronic illness or anything else, it is possible to prepare for the future.  We just do the best we can with what we have to work with.

I do worry some about those who ignore the signs that things are woefully wrong in our country.  I understand that it is much nicer to live in a world viewed through rose colored glasses, where everything is unicorns and sunshine.  Nobody likes to see the storm clouds on the horizon.  I just think that it is better to get ready for the storm than to pretend it isn't there.

Others can do whatever they wish.  I can't seem to get anyone to really pay attention.  So I will just continue to do what I have been doing - pray and prepare as best I can.