On Recovery and Preparedness- Fitting Theme for Today's Reflections

In all honesty, I only initiated this post to coincide with the early arrival of my Hi-Lift Jack to replace the economy Farmer's Jack I had picked up during my initial foray into offroading.

All today, however, there were numerous posts on my news feed of recollections and remembrance of that fateful day. I had not intended to contribute anything to the discourse of the day.

9/11 didn't immediately trigger in me a call to arms or preparedness, but it did show me how vulnerable and complacent the more fortunate among us can become. It reminded me of all that we take for granted.

I was a sophomore in college and I had recently broken my leg at camp that summer. I was in Washington, DC, but at the upper NW satellite campus of GW at the former Mount Vernon College. I was insulated from the turmoil in DC, but also isolated geographically and by my infirmity. I mostly remember crying because I felt powerless to venture into downtown area to ascertain whether or not my younger sister was ok, as she was a sophomore at the high school I attended right in the middle of campus. There were reports, which turned out to be unfounded, about a bomb having detonated at the State Department and a few other places.

And again, while the incident did not instill in me a paranoia, it did reveal to me that events can suddenly change the course of what might otherwise be an ordinary, mundane day.

With that, I think about what I have immediately on my person, or in my vehicle, or at my place of work that can be pressed into service, either in an emergency or simply to render aid under more innocuous circumstances. A lot of that thinking and rationale has guided and influenced many of the modifications that I've made to the truck that serves as my primary vehicle.

I haven't lifted my truck so much that ONLY a higher range jack will suffice, but I do appreciate the versatility having one affords. I don't drive around with it daily, but I did create that ill-advised hood mount which does transport a jack relatively effectively. Relatively.

On the occasion of adding the additional leaf springs; however, I did learn that poor maintenance and care can quickly render a useful tool ineffective and downright dangerous. Several times, I had to resort to essentially kicking the jack out from under the truck in order to lower it down. My dad was there, and we took reasonable 'precautions' given how unreasonable these measures were.

Many Americans, I feel, took to heart the various wave of precautions agencies like the TSA and FEMA attempted to promulgate in the wake of that terrible day. Some measures, fortunately have relaxed. Others I felt still have value but perhaps aren't practiced with the same rigor with which people committed themselves early in the post-9/11 world.

I don't want people to be profiled. I don't really want to have to take off my shoes to board a plane. But I do think people should talk about what their families will do in an emergency. I think people should talk about what basic supplies should be kept in their vehicles, especially when sending new drivers out onto the road. And I think there's a way to turn preparation and lessons of self-reliance into activities which will imbue people with confidence and a creative outlet for their study and practice. For me, it is being manifested through my interest in the outdoors and offroading. I'm learning how to take care of myself in remote locations. I'm practicing how to recover myself and others. I'm glad to not feel paranoid. I feel confident. And in those moments way off the beaten path of daily life on a trail surrounded by the beauty of nature, I am reminded of the simple things that make being alive wonderful.

I was happy to receive my packages in the mail today. I invested in some better equipment, which I will maintain better than I did with my prior iteration. I hope on this day of remembrance, people also recall what helped them to get through those terrible first years of insecurity. And maybe each year, we do something to commemorate our resolve to recover, to be resilient, and to really live.