When Did You Get the Preparedness Bug?

Someone on one of the websites I frequent asked recently "WHEN DID YOU GET THE PREPAREDNESS BUG?"

Here was my response.

I grew up with food storage, gardening, sewing our own clothes, canning food each fall, making our own bread, etc.

I took piano lessons from age 8 to 16. My piano teacher had a HUGE garden, she made her own bread, and taught others how to be frugal. I watched her family each week while I waited for my siblings to finish their lessons. Through this I saw the "provident living lifestyle" from more than just my parents. Sure, they did it a little bit different, but they still lived providently.

In college I was often hungry and I promised myself that my kids would never go hungry, especially if there was something that I could do to prevent it. That has been a pivotal decision in my life.

We went through 7 or so job changes our first year of marriage. Every time we had money and a job I bought extra things for the times when we didn't have the money & a job. It's just been "lifestyle" since that time. (always buying extra food.)

One of the first bigger purchases we made as a married couple was a basic backpacking tent which we used for scout camps & hunting trips. We also always considered it for "preparedness" too.

I never had a "year's supply" for many years though. But I did have a lot of stored food. I would do canning each fall partly because I'd grown up with it but also because I LOVE to see the work of my hands sitting on the shelf. Besides, it tastes better. I don't do a ton of canning, and I don't can all the food we eat, but it's been fun to just know HOW to do it, especially since it seems to be a lost art.

I've also had a regular recurring dream for 20+ years in which we're evacuating. It has always bothered me. I had never considered that there was a message there that I needed to heed.

Then 9-11 happened.

I knew we were closer to the Second Coming and so I dove into the topic once again (it having been a favorite topic of mine for MOST of my life, but I hadn't thought about it for awhile). I searched the scriptures and other books. I DEVOURED those books!

I found some preparedness websites and I've been VERY focused since 9-11.

Since preparing even more, the dreams have changed. I'm not so panicked in my dreams, but now I'm more able to help others. I still have the dreams on a recurring/regular basis.

We've bought bigger and better tents. Someday I would like a four season wall-tent.

I've learned new skills. We've bought more camping gear, we've bought a trailer. I still have other "skills" I want and need to learn.

Slowly and surely we've gotten our year's supply. Slowly and surely we've gotten camping gear. We've collected food, skills, and supplies slowly over our 20+ years of marriage. Again, this has just been our lifestyle.

But it's been nearly all my life that I've been into "preparedness." My efforts have just been escalated since 9-11.