Preparing for... what?

        What are you preparing for?  That's what people ask me most.  There are as many reasons for preparing, or 'prepping' as it's called, as there are people.  Unfortunately, people use that as ammunition against other preppers.  One person who is preparing for, say, a national collapse, will scorn another person who is prepping for a shorter-term thing such as an ice storm.  Another who only feels they need a few days back-up supplies makes fun of someone who is stashing away as much as they can in anticipation of hyper-inflation.  And so on.

        I've refrained from being too specific about my own preps and what I think could happen because I don't want to create a mold that anyone feels they have to fit into.  If I wrote that I believe a certain thing is a probability or possibility, some people would adopt that as their belief and plan accordingly, and I don't know anything for certain regarding what could happen.  Some things are a likelihood, such as hurricanes and big snow/ice storms in certain parts of the country, but I don't live in an area that experiences those things.  I also don't live where there are tornadoes or floods.  Those of you who do should have a plan and supplies for those situations.

        On the other side of that coin, I also get a lot of emails from people who warn me that I should be preparing for one thing or another that I haven't specifically addressed.  The people who see a revolution coming or some other kind of national disturbance want me to tell people they should prepare for that.  I have people writing every day from a wide variety of prepping stances: political, religious, social, domestic fears, world-wide fears, natural disaster awareness, etc.  If one of them would write in such a way that I could publish their stance as a post here on the blog, I would. 

        But so far they have been written in a way to criticize others who aren't prepping the way the writers thinks everyone should, or for the things (events or situations) the writer thinks they should.  There hasn't been even one email that was written to educate or share a view.  We've become a society of trying to convince others by tearing apart the other person or belief, instead of politely and intelligently explaining a view or trying to teach others.

        That's one reason I kept my book generic about the 'why' and 'how much' of prepping.  I gave examples but my concern wasn't why a person felt they should store food or other supplies.  It was that they knew how to get started.  They have to begin somewhere.  Some people have been doubful that there are people who have no food in their homes, but a surprising number of American households have less than one day of food in their homes.  If all they do is put away enough food to munch on for a few days in an emergency, then I think they've made a great first step.  And if all they put away is pop tarts and crackers, GOOD!!!  At least they did something. 

        And if they put away three weeks' worth of food, GOOD!!!  Some people, once they get started, will have the courage and desire to keep working at it.  Some people will stop at three days or three weeks' worth of food.  I'm not here to tell them they have to put away a year's worth or a lifetime's worth.  If that's what they believe they need to do, then they should work toward that goal. 

        Whatever reason any of you have for prepping, and whatever scenarios you anticipate down the road, are all equally valid for the purpose of this blog and the book.  I'm not here to preach any one of them.  There's an old saying that you can't please everyone.  It wouldn't matter what I wrote here, or what I wrote in the book.  Nearly everyone would have a different opinion or a different prepping plan or reason for it.  This site is all-inclusive.  We can learn as much or as little as we believe we need to. 

        I do appreciate the emails you send.  I've learned a lot from you and I wish more of you would write things I could share here on the blog.  I respect the privacy of those who asked me not to share their letters on here, and those who don't mind the information being shared but want their identity withheld.  I've enjoyed helping track down answers to your questions and hearing your concerns.

        Let's be supportive and encouraging regardless of what stage of prepping people are at, or what they're prepping for.  Don't say "You're only prepping for three days?  That's stupid.  Don't you know *this or that* is going to happen, blah blah blah".  Say something like "You have three days' preps?  That's great!  Have you thought about adding to it now, just in case?"   Don't say "You have three years' long-term food storage?  How dumb.  What a waste.  You must be a paranoid nut case".  Say "Wow, that's great.  I hope you never need it."

        Please keep writing.  Be true to yourself and don't apologize for your beliefs or preps.  Tell me why you're right, not why everyone else isn't.

        Susan

povertyprepping@yahoo.com