Generally speaking, preparation efforts seem to be motivated by dread and worry, and that is where I believe the problem resides.
- Are there any of those Google queries that you recognize?
- What is the benefit of a backup generator?
- Put together an emergency shelter.
- Yard chicken laws in the city.
Low-maintenance, high-calorie backyard
These days, I’ve seen that some people are obsessed with things like canning, off-grid living, survival skills, traditional food preparation techniques, and so on. People who want to connect with the earth seem to be experiencing a huge resurgence in my area and in several other parts of the country. They must continue to be very autonomous and rely less on the big-box stores in their neighborhood.
Most of the time, this seems like a hopeful undertaking for those involved. People learn new skills, build communities with like-minded people, and really like who they are and their newfound freedom. There is, however, another, much less hopeful aspect to the phenomenon. Generally speaking, preparation efforts seem to be motivated by dread and worry, and that’s where I believe the problem resides.
Why does it need to be prepared?
What fear is it that drives certain people to become experts in survival skills? Generally, it seems to be an anxiety about being weak and unprepared in an emergency. I am aware of my aversion to the abrupt. Rather than being the one who is helpless and whose fate is up to chance, I would want to be aware of what’s going on around me and to be prepared to provide a helping hand.
In light of all of the uncertainty and overall weirdness we experienced during the epidemic, I can see how feeling more equipped and prepared for whatever may arise may be comforting as the long term becomes more uncertain. But what exactly is too far? Chickens in the yard are one reason. Sort of like one other, an underground yard bunker packed full of three years’ worth of home-canned hen breast.
What might make it easier for us to determine how much is too much?
witty and foolish virgins
We would start with Jesus’ instruction to be prepared. Matthew has two passages that immediately spring to mind. Jesus discusses the wise and foolish virgins in the twenty-fifth chapter. The wise virgins should be prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom, while the foolish ones shouldn’t. After telling the tale, he talks about talents and how the smartest person exploited them to earn additional money. But it seems that these stories are more concerned with religion than with worldly preparation.
Jesus states, “Don’t worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will handle itself,” earlier in Matthew. Enough of its own wickedness for one day. Matthew 6:34 Put another way, there are more than enough obstacles that we now face.
Prudently preparing?
What has to be said by the church? The four cardinal virtues—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—as well as other human virtues that should guide our lives are explained in the Catholic Catechism. I believe we can get a great sense of whether or not we’re placing the proper emphasis on readiness by asking ourselves questions about how our preparedness efforts align with prudence, the most important of those virtues. “Discerning our true good and the best technique for reaching it” is what it means to be prudent. (CCC 1806)
The following are some inquiries we might make to determine if we’re “prepping” in a way that considers everything mentioned above:
Are any of our significant responsibilities or obligations suffering because of our preparation efforts? This includes responsibilities to other important people in our lives, such as our spouse, children, parents, employers, fellow volunteers, and so on. If we choose our native foraging class over spending time with our elderly parents, we need to reassess our priorities.
Jesus urges us to follow His commands and to like God and our neighbor. Are we becoming more conceited as a result of preparing for some impending disaster, or are we being prevented from actively loving our neighbor right now? If the response is affirmative, then something has to change.
How long can we typically consider possible crises in the future? Is thinking about the long term causing us anxiety on a daily basis? If so, this is perhaps a good moment to focus on growing in our faith rather than relying too much on extra preparation. Eternity should be our ultimate goal, not a comfortable existence on Earth.
Finally, are the skills or traditional living methods we’re seeking a perfect fit for us? Do they make our lives more valuable both now and, hopefully, in the future? Can we make use of the knowledge? This will not be the “proper technique of reaching” the fantastic that may be fundamental preparation if we find ourselves getting frustrated easily during a basket weaving session or spending a lot of time and effort drying meals that we never end up eating.