Live Ready

Live Ready.

Those words mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  To some people, they mean absolutely nothing. 

In Keep Moving, Keep Shooting, Terry Davis has his own take.  He never leaves the house in clothes he can’t fight in.  He keeps water, some dry food, and tools in his Jeep.  He carries a gun pretty much everywhere he goes.  And he keeps the “better to have and not need…” motto at the front of mind.  That’s his take.  He is a product of his environment. 

Many people “Live Ready” in some way or another.  If you are a parent with a kid (or two, or three) invested in sports and you are in the middle of the season, you end up with a bunch of stuff in your vehicle just in case.  Sunscreen.  Bug repellent.  Stadium seats.  Lawn seats.  Rain gear.  Blankets.  That stuff goes in and probably doesn’t come out until the season is over.

For some, it is on a smaller scale.  Spare eyeglasses in the glove compartment.  Plastic carrier full of different over the counter medications like Tylenol, Advil, Immodium, and decongestant.  A Ziploc bag full of their favorite sweetener.  Always on hand, just in case.

For others, it is a deliberate focus on worst case scenarios.  The term “Everyday Carry” or EDC has become more and more commonplace.  Lots of people out there are carrying a series of items on their person every single day.  Things like a pistol, flashlight, cash, small medical kits, a flashlight, and even important documents on a flashdrive.

There are some who are heavily invested.  They review and revise their readiness on a daily or weekly basis.  They change what is in the back of their vehicle with the seasons.  More importantly, they don’t just have a bunch of gear, they actually train to use it.  Rifles.  Body armor.  Long range, redundant communications.  Medical equipment.  Off road vehicles with real capabilities, not just a lifted SUV to drive to the mall. 

Afterall, if you don’t know how to use it, expensive gear is just a pile of junk.

So, what does that mean to you?  Do you have a bag of warm clothes in the back of your vehicle in the winter?  Do you carry a recharger for your cell phone in case you don’t have access to an outlet?  Do you have extra prescription medication for yourself?  For your family members that need it?  Does your family have a plan in case things go to shit? 

Can you build a fire?  Cook over it?  Can you navigate without a GPS?  Read a map?  Change a tire?  Can you shoot?  Could you kill and clean an animal if you had to?  Are you fit?  How far could you walk if you needed to? 

Have you ever thought of these things?  Do you do any of this?  Does it seem like a waste of time?

Think back to the middle of the pandemic.  Store shelves were empty.  No toilet paper.  There was looting.  If you lived in or near a city, did you feel safe?

Does this discussion seem a little more relevant with all that in mind?

Everyone needs to define this for themselves.  I’ll ask the question.

Do you Live Ready?