DEALING WITH HURRICANE HARVEY NOW. Natural and man-made disasters are extremely stressful. Can the average man or woman cope with those stresses in ways that increase the potential for their survival? That is a big question, and one that each of us needs to face directly. Not tomorrow, but today. We have three critical areas where we need to be prepared so we can deal with whatever life throws at us.
Our Minds: The mind is powerful. Yet our mental capacities, like our intellect, our smarts, our ability to think logically and systematically, in and of themselves, cannot give us complete confidence that we will make it through a survival situation. Our minds must be kept alert. Our thought processes need to be clear. We must exercise our brains. Rather than sit like a bump on a stump in front of a TV, computer, or phone screen, we need to be involved in reading, problem solving, planning, practicing skills, all keeping our minds as sharp as possible. Our God given brains are a terrible thing to waste on the trivia that pervades our society today.
Our Hearts: I would include our Emotional and Spiritual Life in this area also. We are full of emotions. We are also spiritual beings. Peace in our hearts, satisfaction with life, balance in all of our relationships, form a foundation through which the stresses of a survival situation can be dealt with effectively. Unrest at our core, in our hearts, emotions, and spirits, will lead to our not being unable to deal with survival realities. Our hearts, emotions and spiritual core needs others to be at peace with us. We must be at peace with them as well. Hiding from daily stresses emotionally and spiritually means that we will not have built up the strength and skills to deal with survival stresses. You can only run from your heart for so long. Your heart strength gives you hope. It is that hope that you must rely on to effectively deal with survival stressors.
Our Bodies: As I look around when I am out and about I cannot but help ask a question. Looking at others I ask myself, “Do they have the physical strength, stamina and fitness to deal with a survival situation?” Sadly, the great majority of people I observe, at least on a superficial physical level, do not appear to have built, and maintained, the physical abilities that will be required. Your body, and its abilities, are what might get you out of danger. If you ignore your physical health, do not feed your body the right fuel, do not exercise, sit in front of those same screens mentioned above, the couch potato, you might as well just stay seated when a survival situation occurs. Survival requires that you maintain your physical abilities at the highest level possible. In such a situation you will have to deal with physical stresses that will stretch your physical preparation to its limit.
As a society we are not even remotely prepared for a long-term survival scenario. When a situation presents itself, and they most certainly will, I have a question for you. “Will you be prepared in Mind, Heart, and Body to respond in ways that will be required to give you a good chance to survive?” No one can answer that question for you. What is your answer? Choose to Survive!
