"Sweet days of summer. The jasmine's in bloom. July is dressed up and playing her tune."
-Summer Breeze, Seals & Crofts
Summer is a magical time.
I still remember the summer nights as a child with fireflies lighting up the evening sky, seemingly applauding Mother Nature while asking for an encore.
Summer is a time when Nature taps us on the shoulder like a long lost friend, reminding us of all the fun we've had together in the past, inviting us to come out and play once again.
Camping, fishing, hiking--heck, just taking a few minutes to lay on our back or sit in a chair and watch the clouds go by--will do wonders to quiet our minds and energize our bodies.
Needless to say, our family is thoroughly enjoying our summer. I sincerely hope you are as well. We all need some down time to recharge our batteries. Let's squeeze in as many "days of summer" moments as we can, while we can.
And while summer is the perfect time to relax and enjoy life, we always remember that fall and winter are right around the corner.
For generations past, summer has been a time of preparation. You can almost hear our ancestors asking themselves... "Do we have what we need?" "Does anything need fixing or mending?" "Are we in a good place for the months to come?" "What can we do to get ready?"
By and large, our society as a whole has somehow lost that pioneer spirit of preparation. Everyone is caught up in the moment, living day to day, never thinking ahead. I get it, but I just don't understand it.
Remember the old parable about the ants and the grasshopper? While the ants were busy preparing, the grasshopper was busy dancing and playing his fiddle. He invited the ants to play, while the ants invited him to prepare for the months to come. "Why bother about winter, we have plenty of food at present," the grasshopper said in reply.
Sounds familiar, doesn't it? "At present, at present," that's all most people ever think about.
But not you and me. We live in the moment, but we sure as heck feel the need to prepare for the future. We're not pessimists, kill joys or stick-in-muds. We're not grumpy old coots, hoping for the world to end, so we can tell everyone "I told you so."
Rather, we're realists. True patriots. People who embrace life in all its beauty and complexity.
For the seasons of nature teach us about the seasons of life. And it ain't all unicorns and rainbows. A world that can inspire awe in your soul is also a world powerful enough to thoroughly kick your butt. Have you ever been hiking in the high mountains when a thunderstorm rolls in? That will get your attention in a hurry.
Our ancestors lived more in harmony with nature and understood summer was the perfect time to reflect, take stock and actively prepare.
Let's follow their lead.
Let's take stock of our current situation and ask, "What can I do now, to better prepare for the future?"
Besides, fall and winter are just around the corner.
Now you know, I'm not a fear-monger or doomsday prophet, but you'd be foolish not to observe the signs of the times. There is a lot going on in our world right now on an economic level, very reminiscent of what happened before the crash in the fall of 2008.
As I write this, China's stock market is crashing, the bond market is crashing, Europe is a mess, the price of gas is under $50 a barrel and the hard commodities market (precious metals and materials used in manufacturing) is also declining.
Not to mention, fall is typically the worst time of hurricane season and the storms of winter will be blowing on our doors before you know it.
Look, we don't want to live in fear, but we do want to be prepared. It's just plain common sense. A wise man perhaps captured it best by saying, "An
is better than a pound of cure."
And that's what we focus on here at My Patriot Supply. The "ounce of preparation."
For some of us, the ounce of preparation might be checking our pantry and stocking additional emergency survival food.
For others, maybe it's time to secure a supply of life-saving, healthy drinking water to sustain us in the event of an emergency.
Or maybe you're ready to gain food independence and get a jump on next year's garden by storing a supply of
So, while everyone else is merely playing, living day-to-day, we'll be playing and preparing. And that makes for a pretty awesome combination if you ask me.
Peace of mind and freedom. These are the twin sides of the coin we call self-reliance. It's something we celebrate as a nation in the summer and it's something I hope you experience every day.
In Liberty,
Matt Redhawk
Owner, My Patriot Supply
