In light of recent events relating to the novel coronavirus crisis it is plain to see that not enough people take being prepared seriously. The panic buying and hoarding of basic household goods, such as toilet paper, could have easily been avoided and exacerbated a bad situation. People that should have been perfectly capable of storing the basics for just such an emergency bought out available goods in the stores which put others without the resources in jeopardy.
Every young Cub Scout knows the value of being prepared but somehow it has seemed to slip past perfectly lucid and capable adults. Many families on a tight budget that could not afford to double up on any one trip were able to put some aside for a rainy day by purchasing a couple extra can goods or a couple extra rolls of toilet paper until stocked up. Budgeting a few extra dollars on each trip to the grocery over the last year would have allowed for skipping a trip or purchasing the bare minimum during an emergency. Watching adults fight over toilet paper in a country with normally an abundance of goods is disconcerting and more than a little disappointing.
This does not only relate to household goods and food. It is important to be prepared for a myriad of reasons. Natural disasters, emergencies, or plain bad luck can happen to anyone at any time. It is never too late to start being better prepared. Start with the basics and improve from there. There are numerous resources online to get you started.
Even if you are reading this well into the future it should be easy to see that some of the scarcity of basic household goods during the coronavirus crisis were because many did not see the need to be prepared. The only way to avoid being a burden on others is to be able to take care of yourself and your family. Be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Don’t be scared, be prepared. We all can make the world a better place by being prepared.
