Being Prepared is a Lot Like Doing Dishes - Just More Rewarding

I have a little confession.  I HATE dishes.  Well, it isn't the dishes I hate so much, it is cleaning the dishes.  I have never met a task which seems so futile, a chore so boring or a labor so unappreciated.

Dishes seem to fall from the sky and litter my counter, my table and occasionally my nightstand.  They crawl all over my house and deposit themselves in inconvenient locations where I do not find them until they are dried and akin to sandpaper.  Did I mention I hate dishes?

Even after I spend an inordinate amount of time rounding up all the dishes, scrubbing them and placing them lovingly back in the cupboard, I find more have sneaked out and cluttered my house again.  It is an unending cycle that can drive a girl mad...mad I tell you.

Sorry about that little rant.  I am sure most of you also have a task in your life that seems futile.  Something you do regularly and gets undone just as regularly. Those tasks seem to be unending, and very discouraging.

So why do we do it?  Why do we repeat the same task over and over?  What is the point?

Dishes are fairly obvious. If I want to eat, I need to cook.  If I want to cook, I need dishes to cook on.  For me, doing dishes is a matter of survival, and nothing more.

Unfortunately there are many tasks that don't seem quite as vital to survival that need to be accomplished as well. The mundane things like picking up toys, cleaning up the house and making the beds won't save the planet, but I do them anyway.

For some, planning ahead is on the list of tasks that need to be done, but seem to have little reward.  If you are prepared and you never have a crisis, then you have wasted your effort, right?

Wrong.

Planning ahead is a big deal, but unlike dishes, which happen over and over again, a good plan doesn't have to be messed with often.  Taking the time to prepare well to begin with will help you for a long time.  Knowing how to build a shelter, how to start a safe fire, and how to cook food, is a lifelong skill you only need to brush up on periodically.  Having your paperwork organized and ready for unexpected events can be a big task, but once done only needs to be updated when things change. Having an emergency plan in place and practiced gives your family a sense of security, and that is valuable all the time.

We have the choice to look at preparedness as a horrible task to be avoided at all costs, but we can also choose to see it as a way to make our family safer and a little more secure.  I do dishes to eat, and I prepare to feel secure. I may not wake up excited to do dishes, but I know preparation will pay off, and I will be glad I did it.

Now, who is coming over to help me scrub pans?