Wednesday, July 13, 2011

TEOTWAWKI Fatigue


Every once in a while, I am overwhelmed with the shear quantity of preparations that must take place in order to meet the end of everything we know with some modicum of success.  There is food to store, medical supplies to procure, weapons, ammunition, communication equipment and clothing to stockpile, not to mention skills to acquire, gardens to nurture, animals to care for, a retreat to obtain and friends to warn.  Then, to top it off, we have to live a "normal" life, enjoying what we currently have but always keeping an eye toward what may be.  It's like riding two horses at once - nearly impossible.

Being a preparedness nut is something akin to always being on red alert.  Whenever I go to town, I am always thinking of alternative routes home.  If we plan a trip, we make sure we have plenty of food and water and other necessities so that we can hoof it home should we have to.  I rarely take the freeway in the city (there is no way to get off, you know!), instead favoring back roads and side streets.  I take tow straps, tie downs and jumper cables everywhere I go.  My medical kit goes with me, no matter what, and my concealed holster, well, I never leave home without it.  I am that girl.  Always prepared, no matter what.

But, it gets tiring.  Sometimes I look at the carefree world with a bit of envy.  They are unburdened, free, ignorantly naive.  They spend all of their disposable income on entertainment and electronics rather than rice and radios.  They get "enhancements" and beauty treatments instead of trauma dressings and emergency dental kits.  They have fun, while I am being responsible.  Then, I shake myself and look again.  What at first appears as unburdened and free is, in reality, foolish arrogance.  They think that our country is too big, too powerful to fail.  They believe that we can go on spending more than we make and never face the consequences.  They think that bad things only happen "to other people".  They are wrong.

I do tire of the constant threat of the end of the world. I become fatigued with the headlines proclaiming our demise.  I know it is coming.  I know I have to be ready.  But, every once in a while, I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of what we are trying to do.  When that happens, I have to turn off the radio, avoid the news and remind myself to put one foot in front of the other.  I have to rely on my husband to guide me away from the emotional aspect of preparedness and back to the nuts and bolts of preparedness.  I have to remember that I must always be ready - even when it seems that the world will perpetually go on as it has in my lifetime, with up and downs, but no real hardship.  I have to overcome TEOTWAWKI fatigue with the reality that IT is coming and I MUST be ready.

Next time you get tired of the news, the constant red alert status and the fact that nothing ever seems to change, realize that the frog is in the pot.  The water has been heating for quite some time and we are heading for a rapid boil.  Now is the time to be the like the wise virgins with their lamps full of oil awaiting the bridegroom, not the foolish virgins who's lamps went out for lack of preparation.  Now is not the time to succumb to TEOTWAWKI fatigue.  Press on toward the goal.  Run the race.  Be prepared.

17 comments:

  1. Amen.
    Enola,
    It is always such a joy to read your posts. Part of me wishes for a respite too. But, then the validation of tomorrows reality comes in the form of each day ending seeing rapidly worsening world conditions. I seem to always get my prayers answered with a blessing of inner strength and a second wind of physical energy to scratch another project off the prep list for the day. I am so ever thankful to God that he created me to be the over-responsible child who grew up to be the wiser responsible adult. I've gotten to practice this virtue my whole life! It makes us tote the fine line when the going gets rough and we seem to vow all the more to never succumb to hedging and taking the easy path or around the issue, but rather we keep focusing clearer and sharper and moving ever steadily toward the best and most effective routes to get to our long lasting quality outcomes become fruition.


    God Bless you and yours.

    notutopia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Enola,

    Remember who you run the race for. It is not for society, it is not for glory, it is not for your neighbors or even your family.

    We run for our Lord.

    We run in hope of one day hearing "Well done, good and faithful servant."

    Rob

    ReplyDelete
  3. Maybe it's because I am only responsible for myself at this time, but I don't get TEOTWAWKI fatigue. Balance is important whether we prep or not. So, while going to garage sales to look for antiques and collectibles, I also look for items that I can add to my stored goods, such as flashlights and wool blankets. While I'm off trout fishing, I take a book about wild edible plants and learn to recognize them while afield. Prepping is not often the focus of my life, but it is always in my thoughts and I'm fine with that. In fact, I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't get me wrong, I'm not somebody who hopes for trouble, but I have always been somebody who likes to be aware of what's going on around me and around the world. Being prepared, while never completely so, gives me a sense of comfort and calm. I'm sure someone might think of me as paranoid, but I think of myself as self-reliant so that I won't be a burden to others.

    BTW, I have read through your book, Enola,"The Prepared Family Guide to Uncommon Diseases." It's written for the average person, not a medical student - thank you for that! And it's much more than a description of 20 diseases. I am so happy that it provides info on symptoms, treatments, and containment. PLUS, the sections on homemade remedy recipes, lists of medical supplies to have on hand, and treatment of things like shock and dehydration are extremely helpful. This is information that is useful today, not solely for disasters. I highly recommend your book.

    NoCal Gal

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh my goodness. You need to get out of my head! Thank you so much for saying what I am feeling!!! - Gal from Mid-Mo

    ReplyDelete
  5. I believe in being in a place between your beliefs and mine. You may be prepared, but I find peace in living in the moment. My life may be taken soon, and regardless of the nature of my life, I will have lived.However I UNDERSTAND your position. I get it. Im not blind to whats going on in this world. Our nation is failing. Chaos may be Very close in coming.

    Lets just both keep from going overboard to the point of fatigue. The sense of doom and the senses of the "outside" shouldnt let us lose sight of all the goodness in this world.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dearest Enola Gay & Family,

    Good looking out! Even Jesus had to get away from it all during his intense ministry or he would have burned out. And He knew He had an end-date while none of us do! Perhaps a biblical 6-to-1 ratio on worrying about TEOTWAWKI will suit all of us. Pick one day during the week when you can rest and look back on all of the marvelous things you've done or canned or cooked or washed or tucked away, with the Grace of God. And remember, even God decided at one point that Enough was Enough. He looked upon all that He had done and saw that IT WAS GOOD. I can just envision Jesus looking over a few shelves of precious canned food, lovingly prepared by us, and smiling. Just like Joseph we have prepared to save many people alive. How cool is that?!?!?!

    God Bless,
    Janet in MA

    ReplyDelete
  7. Enola

    You will never be prepared enough for an unknown future. However we are creative enough to adapt to any new situation.
    So you don't need a ten year supply of food.
    You need enough to get you through to the next solution. Many people die because they were not prepared to handle a temporary situation. Take a car breakdown. Can you carry every spare part, of course not. But what is the real danger, hunger, thirst, cold, communications. If you give yourself enough time you can come up with a solution. The preps should buy you time.
    I really enjoy your outlook on life. I do
    think you are too hard on yourself sometimes. One of the things I've found in life is that good things don't last "enjoy them" and bad things don't last "you need to change something". And that like in Tom Hanks "Cast away" opportunities will present themselves from time to time. You need to recognize them and act on them.

    Dewey

    ReplyDelete
  8. Enola

    I like what you said about "one step at a time'
    Kinda reminds me of being in the military. The comfort of structure dictating your life so when something extreme happens (i.e. sociatal collapse) you can fall back on the structure to recover from any damage and move forward.

    That structure can be God too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is why I prep:
    1. It's later then you think.

    2. Food will be worth more then money in the future.

    3. Someone you know intends to either sponge off you or take what you have when things get tough.

    4. Someone you don't know intends to either sponge off you or take what you have when things get tough.

    5. By the time it becomes obvious to everyone it will be too late to prepare.

    6. If you don't prepare then you are the one planning on sponging off someone you know or to take what they have when things get tough.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's balm to my heart to "hear" someone else voice the issues in my own head! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

    Laura from preppingtosurvive.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello Enola Gay!
    What a great post. Personally I see the ignorantly carefree world not as merely foolish ignorance but enslaved. They are enslaved to having the government take care of them. They are enslaved to the next new thing, and HAVING to have "it", whatever "it" happens to be at the moment. They are enslaved to mindless, meaningless activity. They are enslaved to "fun" over work and actively look for ways to get out of "extra" work and live for the weekend and "their own time" where they can do as they please and have "fun". They are enslaved to a youthful, beauty mindset that tells them that gray hair is bad, stretch marks are produced by evil children and wrinkles are to be eradicated with every and any measure. No matter that those measures may harm their health in the process. They are enslaved to filling their minds with drivel (or worse), whether in the form of television, movies, books or magazines.

    We preppers on the other hand are the ones who are truly free. Free to choose whether we will learn a new skill or increase our proficiency in an already acquired skill. Free to evaluate where we need to make changes in our level of prep, or changes in how much we have stored.

    Our family just attended a marksmanship training course and we all worked hard that entire day. But we also had lots of fun!

    Revel in your freedom my dear!
    Blessings,
    ~Mrs. R

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dearest Enola,

    How is it that such a nice lady like yourself listens in on my private conversations with trusted friends/family? Oh wait, you don't...you're just thinking and discussing EXACTLY what we are thinking and discussing! And by some of the comments above, there are a few of us out there!

    Just last night I said, "How many times did Noah and his wife ask themselves were they crazy for doing what they did?" Oh, probably just daily for 120 years, that's all! They say that if you think you might be crazy, you're not. The crazy ones never suspect it!

    While pailing up food this week, I looked at my 72 year old mother and said, "Wouldn't your own parents have been thankful to have had all this surplus during the Great Depression?" And she replied, "Oh my YES!"

    Because it is a lifestyle for preppers, we're grateful now and will continue to be grateful in the future. We have committed our plans to the Lord and they will not fail. Let us not grow weary in well doing. Our trust is in Him and not in our "stuff". May God's peace rest upon us. Thanks Enola for sharing your heart and thoughts!

    PS: Anonymous who posted the 6 Reasons Why I Prep...can I just say WOW! Thanks for sharing that. For years I've said, "Either you'll have to take care of someone, OR someone will have to take care of YOU. Which way do you want it?" I want to be as self sufficient as possible, thank you very much. It's the "HOW MANY will I be caring for?" question that concerns me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Overwhelmed as I am. I am just greatful that my eyes are now open and I DO have time to prepare for what is to come. I struggle to enjoy the 'easy life' that I have now which will only be wishful thinking tomorrow. Sometimes I splurge a little on some things, knowing full well that it is taking away from something else I had planned, just so that I can have the experience to look back on. To be able to say at least I know what I will be missing.
    I walk down the Aisle at a big box store and just marvel at the 'stuff' available. From the future's perspective, we will be seen as overindulgent children and disliked as such. I only wish we would have lived as a 'moderate' society. The excesses we demand make me sick to the stomach, knowing what is coming. That is the worst part to me. Knowing what is coming and being sickened by our apathy to our affluence. Good Luck.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You think some people are wrong. Some people think you are wrong. Who is right? I'd bet you'd think you are. Understanding is harder than prepping for the end of the world.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Its so good to know I am not the only one who feels this way- I feel like two different people, living two different lives. On one hand, I am a young, newly married woman, building a life with my husband, starting occupational therapy school, planning my future career, and trying to enjoy life and youth while I can. On the other hand, I worry about our country and what lies ahead, I try to keep food stored and supplies bought while worrying about my tight budget and unexpected bills, and I do things like hiking in mountains, practicing my shooting, and learning first aid and other survival skills while most young women my age worry about makeup, diets, tanning, and going out on the weekends. Its a hard balance, but I have a feeling I may be grateful for every little thing I have prepared in a short time, with the way our country is going. Thanks again for such a great website!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love your blog post and so agree with those here who say it's like you are reading our minds. Having lost family members (most) and my children (all) who think we are crazy because we have always put preparedness above luxuries, I keep reminding myself there is only one that I have to answer to and that is my God. No one else matters. I can't force others to do what they need to do to prepare because I know that when things go south they will come to me, the one who they have shunned and treated badly and I will help them because they are my children and I still love them. But it is all hard. Thanks for all your insight.

    ReplyDelete