Unexpected Lessons In Preparedness

Some of the best lessons that anyone can experience in life are often from the most unlikely of places. However, fortunate endings to these surprises can also mean that people gain a better ability to become self sufficient and to have the critical thinking, knowledge, and problem solving skills that will not only aid in survival, but also in thriving through situations of crisis. People do find that their habits can have positive repercussions, and this includes functional choices that end up becoming life changing.  

Taking A Practical Stance

One story that was recently highlighted after the late year snowstorms is in regards to such a situation that became a vital learning experience. In this particular scenario, a working mother had an established routine with her pre-teen son, in that when situations did arise that she was stuck at work later than usual, her son would still be able to care for himself safely. One of the actions that the mother had taken was to use long-term food storage and ready to eat meals. This allowed her son to make snacks and even dinners when she was running late, but without causing the concern that her son was either eating junk food, or attempting to cook in a fashion that could be dangerous. The added benefit was also that many of the nights that the mother was running late, the son would also have taken the initiative to have food waiting for her.  

Working Through The Unfamiliar

Although this woman’s son was used to situations where he may be on his own for a while, this tended to only be for a few hours, and occasionally. The December snowstorm that impacted much of the northeast ended up changing this scenario drastically. With road closures and the considerable chaos that resulted from the extent of the storm, this mother was trapped at work and was unable to reach her son for well over 36 hours. The important lesson from this scenario is that once the snow and ice had been cleared and the mother was reunited with her son, she found that he was well fed and in a good physical state, albeit he was also emotionally relieved to have his mother near again. When the son was asked about his perseverance under the crisis, he had stated that he knew there were enough long-term food storage kits in the home to tide him over for several days, and that he was already familiar with the ease of preparation for these emergency rations. He knew that he could take care of himself, and his concern was more for his mother.

The positive outcome of the emergency situation has roots in the practices that were instilled in this son before the crisis ever happened. In this manner, emergency preparedness can also be seen as a perspective that fosters the ability to problem solve and know how to utilize resources. Since the main destruction of a crisis can often come from the fact that it is unexpected, raising awareness trough responsibility can also help in overcoming the fears of the unknown situation.