Survival of the Fittest

The snow that has blanketed the DC metro area has me thinking about human survival. Before the first snowflake fell in this blizzard, I joked with Rum Punch that people were hitting up the grocery stores like it was the end of the world. It seemed silly because it was just snow. Although the world hasn’t ended, things have definitely shut down to the point that I do wonder how we-semi suburban and urban folk would make it if a natural or war disaster broke out. In this area our basic struggle right now is going to the grocery store to get more milk and bread. But what would we do if there were no grocery stores, or roads to drive our cars, or electricity to heat our homes? Could we make it?

Personally I’m feeling a little ill equipped if I needed to get into survival mode. Sunday I attempted to walk to the local grocery store to get some milk and bread-feel a little stir crazy. It was treacherous journey down a semi plowed street. Unsure if my next step would be on sure footing or a patch of ice it was a godsend that a neighbor with a 4 wheel drive truck stopped to give me a ride to the grocery store. But back to survival…my friend felt that if a disaster struck we would have to go to some remote place to live off the land…he definitely didn’t think we could make it in the DC metro area, not enough animals. We would need to go to a place where we could hunt and fish. And that got me to thinking about cleaning and cooking whatever was hunted. And as ya’ll know from this I am just beginning to master electric and gas stove top cooking. For me to be subjected to cook on an open flame without the aid of my McCormick seasoning…how oh how would I survive?!

It seems like a different world when my grandmother speaks of scrubbing pots and pans with sand because there was no steel wool. Or when my 50 year old coworkers speak of dealing with their menstrual cycles without adhesive pads! It’s these little historic factoids that make me wonder how the settlers, slaves and ancient people made it in this here world. It’s the little things like steel wool and adhesive that have given us comfort and a better quality of life! But at the same time these creature comforts have dulled many of our innate fighting instincts. And that concerns me when I see my brethren in 2010 trying to recover from earthquakes or picking out sentimental items from their bombed out homes.

Sigh.

Even though I haven’t built a fire since my stint in as a Brownie or sewn anything other than a decorative pillow-I think if worst came to worst I could live off the land. Make it by any means necessary. But as I lay in my warm bed with my manufactured sweat clothes, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I got from the fridge, I am so glad that this is how I am making it through!

See You In Seven