Pearls More Valuable Than Gold.

My mother said something today that gave me pause. Just for a few seconds, but long enough for me to ponder the real meaning of what she said. Her comment was quite simple, but its meaning ran deep. She said, “I guess the good Lord is keeping me around this long for a reason.” “I guess I still have some work to do.” This simple statement sent my mental gears into warp speed.

The survival threads have a lot of good information, but most of it focuses on tools, gadgets, and techniques. I think mother wit and good old common sense (misnomer, nothing common about it) are probably the most valuable resources you can have tucked away in your survival chest.

Many people will think in a SHTF scenario, the elderly are the most expendable. I think in today’s age, that they will probably be the most valuable members of your community. Most of us old farts don’t require much sleep. We prefer napping during the day, making us good night watchers. We also on average, eat much less then the youngsters. The many talents of the elderly should not go over looked. Age and experience has a lot to offer in times of need. Having lived through a time when running water, homes with electricity and convenience stores were as far fetched, as Buster Crabbe and the planet Mongo. The elderly are often very creative; from making a meal for two, stretch to feed 5 to morphing items that most youngsters would throw out as trash.

I grew up during a time when the elderly were respected and revered. We loved sitting around the porch listening to our elders tell their life stories. They made us laugh, cry and do our chores. At the end of the day we felt tired, loved, and a little smarter for all they had to offer. I think when the SHTF there are pearls of wisdom that may make the difference between life and death.

The number one rule in my house growing up was:

1. You don’t air your dirty laundry. Same as: What happens in this house, stays in this house. (Vegas stole this one).
2. The children always eat first.
3. Children are seen, not heard.

Of course, not all of the wisdom shared was necessarily life saving, or even correct for that matter, but there was always a method related to their madness. With privacy being a big issue today, teaching your children not share what goes on in your home, has become more important then ever. So what pearls of wisdom did you receive that you think should be passed on?

reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn


All your rules are teaching respect. Something that todays day and age has completely forgotten about when I see my friends kids or read the papers.

reply to post by superman2012


yeah, there is no more common courtesy anymore.

a second part to this is people who show courtesy are routinely disrespected.

Having read what the Op written the following can be stated:

The elderly generation, those who grew up during World War II, learned a lesson that is lacking in todays society. They learned how to do without. They learned how to conserve, resuse and to make due when things did not go as they planned. If you look back, during those days, the country came out of a depression, where no one had anything, and ultimately had to learn how to do for themselves. During the War, many had to give up many, and rationing was the order of the day. At the same time, many grew gardens to suppliment the food rationing.

And they used what they had, did not waste and ultimately got value for every dollar spent.

Whether SHTF or not, we can learn a lesson from the elderly that will help out no matter what all is going on. And ultimately the biggest one is that no matter what don't trust the government, when you can do for yourself.

- "Treat your guests like family, and your family like guests."

- "What's true in the lamplight is not always true in the sunlight."
(usually spoken when discussing matters of romance)

- "Measure twice, cut once"
(usually said when doing carpentry)

- "It'll rain again someday. It always has, 'cept that one time . . . ."

- You can learn as much from a fool as you can from a wise man
(by studying the fool's negative example.)

- A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.
arguing to change someone's mind never really works)

- Failing to plan is planning to fail

reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn


Worth repeating.

Many people will think in a SHTF scenario, the elderly are the most expendable. I think in today’s age, that they will probably be the most valuable members of your community.

Funny how the ones outside the 'center' are the ones who can see between the lines.

reply to post by tovenar


" - You can learn as much from a fool as you can from a wise man (by studying the fool's negative example.)"

The way my mind works, allows me to learn quicker from the fool than from the wise man.

The wise man's actions will likely give me pause, and will require time for contemplation. The foolish man's act is more likely to force my thinking to a direction better suited to correcting his errors.

Like I said, quirk in the way I think, which allows me to add.

"Normal", is what you are taught. - growing up in a military town, with people from every race, creed, color, etc., brought this lesson home at a very early age.

superman2012
reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn

 

All your rules are teaching respect. Something that todays day and age has completely forgotten about when I see my friends kids or read the papers.

I have found that children that aren't taught to respect themselves, have trouble learning respect for others.

My close cousins are in their teens. The 14yo swears at his parents and cannot complete a sentence without dropping the F bomb, even in public. I asked him to stop swearing for no reason and he replied, "Why? They say it in my [video] game". I actually refuse to take him anywhere.

I don't mean to generalize but I've noticed that a lot of kids his age are completely out of touch. Completely self centered. Half of the Earth could break off and float away and they couldn't care less.

reply to post by KEMIK

I don't mean to generalize but I've noticed that a lot of kids his age are completely out of touch. Completely self centered. Half of the Earth could break off and float away and they couldn't care less.

We can't blame the children for our neglect. We have forgotten what creates our societal norms. Our norms are not just created by what we accept, what we embrace, plays a huge part as well.

My parents raised 10 children, we all have attended college, are productive members of our communities and none are thugs or criminals, yet only two of us were ever spanked, and those two were only spanked once, and because they requested spanking as an alternative to spending the weekend on our knees washing, waxing and buffing our home's hardwood floors.

We were taught, every action has a consequence. Your actions are your choice and you are responsible for your choices; therefore you are responsible for your actions and the consequences of your actions.

Which brings me to another life lesson.

"You make your bed hard, you have to lie in it."
Or
" If your butt is dragged through the gutter long enough, you may find it hurts less, if you to stand on your own two feet."

Children are a reflection of their training. If your child is behaving in a way that goes against the way they are being raised, then you may need to find out what master they serve. Fear is a mighty weapon. A child when faced with a decision, will choose protection over love. It is usually the things our children fear that causes them to go against the things we teach them.

Almost forgot.

Children learn quicker from what they "see" then from what they are told.

reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn


I can't say that I disagree with you. However I'm on the fence about the whole "nature vs nurture" concept. I've seen loving, nurturing households produce monsters. I've also seen those in terrible living situations turn out to be quite successful and productive.

I would rather have a wise old man/woman then some smart ___ kid in the group!

Knowing that today's world has brought up lazy, could care less attitude people. They still can be taught to learn. Being raised without parent's, my aunt did give some pointers. Pick up after yourself, learn to do it yourself, and you will not need somebody to do it for you later.

Back then, I had to go get my own stick! Ouch! Remember her saying if you have fun, best be able to do what needs to be done tomorrow! Or get your homework done, then go have fun; after your chores are done first.

Somewhere Respect has become lost, rarely do I see it! Now the older group has held on to this kinda idea, just wonder how they deal with it these day's.

Overheard my Mom on the phone and picked up these two truisms.

" A drunk mouth speaks a sober mind."

" Many a true word is spoken in a joke."

KEMIK
My close cousins are in their teens. The 14yo swears at his parents and cannot complete a sentence without dropping the F bomb, even in public. I asked him to stop swearing for no reason and he replied, "Why? They say it in my [video] game". I actually refuse to take him anywhere.

I don't mean to generalize but I've noticed that a lot of kids his age are completely out of touch. Completely self centered. Half of the Earth could break off and float away and they couldn't care less.

I am not disagreeing with you. It's a real problem.

I also believe that spoiled-rotteness is probably the single easiest problem to fix. Being spoiled is an affectation. One that evaporates quickly when "real life" takes over. Yes, there will be a lot of violence when the lights go out; and the first round may be a lot of young punks going wild.

But when there are no cops, and no security cameras on duty, a lot of scores get settled. If the police are the only thing holding back the crooks, they may also be the only thing holding back the community.

One thing is for certain.

One of these days, it's going to really rain, and wash all the scum off the streets.

KEMIK
reply to post by NightSkyeB4Dawn

 

I can't say that I disagree with you. However I'm on the fence about the whole "nature vs nurture" concept. I've seen loving, nurturing households produce monsters. I've also seen those in terrible living situations turn out to be quite successful and productive.

I believe those two scenarios are more reliant on a persons intelligence then the way they were raised. While nurture is the lead by which people usually act ( ever been told you are exactly like your parent?) if you are below intelligence and you are given a good example while being raised it doesn't matter if you can't understand the reasoning behind it. On the flip side, if you are above average intelligence you might be able to look at your situation and realize that you don't want to be like that and actively change for the better.

Forward thought and critical thinking are not usually the qualities that "monsters" in families have. I believe those are earmarks of intelligence.

reply to post by superman2012

Forward thought and critical thinking are not usually the qualities that "monsters" in families have. I believe those are earmarks of intelligence.

Stages of life comes in phases. As a child progresses from one phase to the next, they are lifted or catapulted to the next stage. Stages usually are strongly related to age. Some of life's lessons can only be truly learned when we are old enough and mature enough to absorb their true meaning or experience the true benefits of the lessons.

The little monsters when dealing with a transitioning will lean towards independence. It is called the terrible twos because during this stage the child becomes self aware. At this stage they will catapult through the phases of me, and will come to realize they are a force independent of the others in their home, and their pleasure and or desires, out rank all others.

If, without trauma, they are successful in realizing the "I", they will experiment with the power of "I, and how to wield this marvelous weapon. This stage is one of the most important in a child's life and it is how they traverse the multiple phases of this stage that will determine the person the child will become.

A saying that I conjured up that has served me well over the years when debating with my siblings regarding their child rearing skills is, "If it isn't cute when they are 22, then it isn't cute when they are two". Parents often send children mixed messages. I agree with you that young children aren't capable of forward or critical thinking. The problem is that often, neither are their parents.

Too many parents forgo discipline and opt to be their child's best friends instead of being a parent. The majority of children will have numerous friends throughout their life time. Children need parents, not friends, and they "need" guidance. Children will fall while they are learning to walk, it is the parent's job to be there and teach them how to get up, and that failure is not a sin, failing to get up or not to try at all, is the sin.

So another of my creations.

" Failures are the steps you climb to success."