Survival Attitude

The bombing in Boston and the massive plant explosion down in the little Czech town of West, Texas remind us that we never really know what we are preparing for.  Preparing for disasters can give us resources which we can use or share as the situation requires, but often it’s not the material resources available that make a difference.  Rather we fall back on our skills, including communication and social skills, attitude, and strength -- physical, emotional, and mental.

The strength of a very old and close-knit community will help the people of West.  Bostonians were rallied at a hockey game, coming together to sing the national anthem -- and a bunch more videos of it here. Most of the time life – whether we are talking about natural disasters, industrial accidents, terrorist attacks or just getting the kids to school – is about making it until the end of the day, through a cold night, or one more mile.  That requires toughness and resilience more than Spam. 

What do you do if your house is leveled or your family member dies senselessly or your job disappears?  Having a well-stocked pantry and a gun safe full of weapons and ammunition will help us through hard economic times but only if we have the perseverance and endurance to keep going.  I am no prophet.  The only thing I know about the future is that tomorrow is usually a lot like today, except a little better or a little worse until it is not, and that sometime something will happen that I never expected.

There is no steeling ourselves against the unknown unknowns, against the unpredictable, against meteors striking out of a clear sky.  There is only looking around at what we have left, which maybe little or nothing, and deciding that we might as well see what is going to happen tomorrow.  I have a Bible or New Testament with me almost all the time.   I have audio versions of favorite books on my mp3-player.  Those are good, but what I rely on most is what I have in my head, what I have memorized, intentionally or incidentally.  And I don’t need anything to pray.