We Prepare For The Aftermath

The other day there was a casserole dish, full of water, soaking in the kitchen sink. I was ready to wash it, so I lifted it and began to pour the water out. Immediately I realized I had misjudged and the majority of the water would miss the sink and land on the adjacent counter. I tried to jerk the dish back, but the water was already in motion and flooded over the counter causing a wet mess.

As I was cleaning up the spilled dishwater, I reflected on what had happened. I hadn’t meant to spill the water. The moment it started moving the wrong way I realized it and tried to correct it, but it was too late. The water was in motion and the consequences were unstoppable. There was going to be dirty dishwater all over the counter – all I could do is clean it up.

Though the spilled water, once in motion, was unavoidable, the consequences were mitigated by established habit and routine. There weren’t any dishes drying in the rack next to the sink, so nothing had to be re-washed. We don’t prepare food in that area, so no food was ruined. A towel is kept under the sink, so clean up was started immediately. Because of our kitchen ‘preparedness’ a potential disaster became just a minor inconvenience.

This happened in less time than it takes to tell about it. That is frequently how life’s disasters–big or small–occur. It could be a tornado, a fall, a car crash, a fire, an earthquake, a bicycle accident, or an explosion. Even if there are indicators (seen or unseen) the actual incident typically happens incredibly quickly.

As a prepper you’re not preparing to stop, or even survive, the disaster; you’re preparing to survive the aftermath. The disaster itself–once in motion–is unstoppable; you either die in the immediate “burst” (or very soon after), or live to face the aftermath.

In that aftermath, while those around us are panicking and searching for direction; we know what we need: food, water, shelter, security, and energy. Our goal is to have preparations in place with a plan to use them, and the knowledge that we many have to improvise that plan as needed.

We have very little control over most things in our life, but we will still be forced to deal with the consequences. Once things are set into motion all we can do is respond. Plan and prepare to survive the aftermath.

(Wednesday: Weathering The Storm)