I saw an old WWII film clip the other day…
A group of people had to scramble for what they considered important enough to take on a journey. Though they were allowed to take things with them, they had no idea if they would ever make it back to their home and what the new world was like.
As they picked through their belongings, they agonized over the treasures they could not carry on their backs. Only the most important things could go. Everything else was lost, gone, forever.
What do you consider important enough that you will make room in your pack to carry into tomorrow? What have you collected that you think is important, though you would not dream of carrying it on a survival march? Collectibles. Memories. Your goldfish…
Yesterday, I thought about the things we think are worth fighting for, and will we fight for them? Today, I think about having to leave with nothing more than what I can carry.
After all, I live close to a dormant volcano (Mt Rainier) and just north of Mt St Helens (which blew her top on 05/18/1980). In fact, that was the year we moved to Alaska and we dealt with all the cleanup and messy roads as we drove up I-5 to Seattle.
We are instructed to keep a “ready kit” in case of the unexpected. There are advertisements, news reports, and information available on keeping your kit ready at all times.
What do you do when your electronics quit? No more power. No running water. No grocery stores. No gasoline. No ATM machines. Quick. Get only what you need to survive! Quickly! What would it be?
I guess it all depends on what the sudden event happens to be…
What you deem important really depends upon the situation.
When we lived in Alaska, both of our kids had created new lives in the Lower 48. Suddenly, an earthquake struck close to where I live today in Washington, the Nisqually Quake (Ash Wednesday quake) on February 28, 2001, at 10:48 a.m.. My daughter had recently moved to Seattle and we could not reach her. All phone communications were disrupted. Even though it was winter, I was prepared to drive the 41 hours from Anchorage to Seattle! Airport? Closed as I remember it.
Fortunately, all was okay and we finally reached her later that afternoon!
Still, was I prepared for the drive? Probably. We are normally better prepared when the weather elements require you to always be ready. Alaska and the cold north always require you to be ready!
And, my daughter was important enough for us to take such an arduous journey.
What, and who, do you find important enough to do what needs to be done in an emergency? Are you ready?