Whilst pondering the various possibilities for the future, it is easy to get caught up in the minutiae of radio frequencies, milligram dosages, microns of filtration, calibers, and calories per ounce. (You” read plenty of those details in SurvivalBlog. But in doing so we can easily lose sight of bigger, far more important issues such as charity, civility, community, and hope.
Charity
Most of you reading this are the heads of households that are far better prepared than your neighbors. Your deep larder, expansive fuel storage, advanced skills, and wide range of useful tools will put you in a distinctly advantageous position in the event of a catastrophe. I implore you to be charitable, even to those that stubbornly ignored your warnings and shirked their responsibility to provide for their families. My philosophy, oft-repeated, is to give until it hurts.
Civility
Going hand-in-hand with charity is civility. Hard times call for increased caution, but unless you are facing a bad element, there is no need to be mean or offensive. When dealing with neighbors, do your best to keep up he standards or normal pre-Crunch civil interaction. Be courteous, be helpful, be generous, and in all ways pitch in to be a good neighbor. Just be very circumspect about your preparations. Always keep the “need to know” rule in mind, and drill it into the heads of your family members. Unless a neighbor truly needs to know, then you should not mention–or allow to be seen–the nature nor the extent of your preparations. Just make it clear that you have “a little extra” of this or that, to help out neighbors that are in genuine need.
In contrast, when dealing with strangers, it is best to be far more firm but non-threatening. Just leave them with the subtle impression that you are not one to be trifled with.The sight of pistol on your hip or a rifle close at hand speaks volumes. If you want to help refugees that are transiting your area, then please show the foresight do so anonymously through an intermediary, such as your local church. By donating some of your storage food to your church, you’ll be able to look firm and resilient to refugees, yet still have good news for them. You can honestly say: “Some people in the community have been leaving food and warm clothing at the church 1/2 mile down the road. It is at 123 Main Street. They will be able to help you. God bless you.” Note that this was carefully phrased in a neutral way, not indicating that you were the donor. Parenthetically, this level of OPSEC means that you will need to carefully brief your church pastors and elders and get their solemn promise not reveal who provided the food.
Community
I’ve written at length about the need for a genuine sense community to achieve the best chance of survival in hard times, so I won’t repeat all that here. In essence, lone wolves will not be the most likely survivors. Build a true community, and you will have friends that you can count on (and vice versa), when the Schumer hits the fan.
Hope
As a Christian, I use word “hope” in far different way than non-Christians do. In the Christian context, hope means absolute assurance of eternal life for the elect, bought and paid for by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. With the sure knowledge of my salvation, I am willing to risk more in this life, to do what is right–that is, what I believe will please God, and glorify God. The perils in this mortal life are brief, but the promise of heaven is everlasting. That is my hope.