As the seasons begin to change, I get that same feeling again. It seems to get stronger every year.

Harvesting the Patriot Garden

Of course, the calendar says that there's still a little summer left, but up here in northern Idaho, my Patriot Garden is telling me that harvest is imminent. It's an exciting and rewarding time, enjoying the literal fruits of your labor toward self-reliance.

Despite all the good that is coming, I can't help but feel a little anxious as fall draws near.

Upon reflection, I realized why fall makes me anxious and what it means for all of us in our preparedness journey.

I wanted to share what I learned so that we can all be more prepared for what the next season brings - both good and bad.

WHY WE PREPARE: BEWARE OF PRIDE BEFORE THE FALL

 Before we jump into preparedness advice today, I think a little backstory is in order. You see, a lot of my thinking has to do with the way we're communicating right now - in English. Let me explain.

Over the history of the English language, there are several words that have competed for the name of the season that comes after summer.

The original word we used was harvest.

This was by far the most common term for the season before the 16th century. It makes sense, because farming was pretty much the entire economy, the entire way of life for most people in that time.

Harvest is typically associated with a lot of activity. The season only begins with the harvest. The rest is devoted to getting the most out of harvest, preserving as much as possible to prepare for the seasons ahead.

Then there's autumn.

This word has ancient roots that mean "the passing of a year." Many ancient cultures only had two seasons, which signified the beginning and end.

Fall in Northern Idaho

Finally, we come to fall.

Fall comes from Germanic roots and became an Americanism in the years after the Revolution. The Brits still call it autumn. H.W. Fowler, an English lexicographer said that Americans embraced the better term, for its ease of understanding. Simply put, fall has its roots in "falling from above," which is signified by the falling of the leaves.

Fall is a fitting word because it truly captures both the good and bad we can experience in this season.

Fall blesses us with the bounty of harvest. Children return to school, which is a blessing for parents and a boon for those young minds. Fall is full of activity, and yet it also offers us the chance to slow down, to relax.

But fall is also a time when crises seem to strike.

The Great Depression began on Black Tuesday in October 1929. World War II came just before fall ten years later.

Fast forward to the present era: 9/11. Hurricane Katrina. The Great Recession. Superstorm Sandy. Ebola, and now Zika.

Just as we prepare for fruit falling from the tree to nourish us, we must also prepare for when our society stumbles from a great height.

However, I'm not writing you today to scare you with Nostradamus-like predictions about this coming fall. That goes against my principles. In all honesty, anybody could make a prediction that a major crisis would happen this fall - and there's a 25% chance they'd be right.

But I do believe that just like the seasons, history is cyclical. It's something worth paying attention to, so we can be better prepared for what is ahead. In times like these, it makes the unexpected much more manageable.

Prepared for the Cycle of History

Despite the stereotype, those of us who are committed to preparedness hope to never put our emergency planning to use. However, we must never succumb to thinking we're invincible. There's that old Bible verse from Proverbs that warns of the pride that comes before the fall.

I'm writing you today with that spirit in mind. It is our mission as a company to help everyone in their preparedness journey - from the very first step onwards.

When crises strike, we are often overwhelmed with orders. This makes it much harder to fulfill everyone's preparedness needs.

We're not happy unless every single need is fulfilled, without delay.

This is precisely why we always recommend you prepare sooner rather than later: it helps us serve you better.

Even if you're not sure what your next step (or first step) should be, I encourage you to start with a conversation. Our preparedness experts are here for you. They will guide you through your options and address any questions. Then, you'll be much more confident about the next step in your preparedness journey. To get started, call 866.229.0927.

We look forward to the onset of the fruitful and safe fall season and we wish you the same.

Have a great weekend, and don't hesitate to reach out!

In Liberty,

Grant Miller
Preparedness Advisor, My Patriot Supply