Self-Sufficient

There was a time, not too many generations ago, where people had to be self-sufficient.

A person had to cut down timber to construct shelter. A person had to plow the land and raise beast to eat. A person had to be self-sufficient to provide protection and entertainment.

Family was the doctor and the caretakers for the children and the elderly. Family taught the skills needed for survival.

As communities grew, the church gathered people to assist in barn raisings and crop harvesting uniting people beyond family under the umbrella of religion.

Those living next to rivers or on railway lines grew into urban centers providing indoor plumbing, electricity, telephones, automobiles, police and hospitals.

While many migrated into towns that turned into cities with the opportunity of employment in factories for the uneducated, government declared where property could be built and how much people had to pay for all these improvements.

Some preferred the rural freedom of choice, avoiding the urban squalor.

Time moves on and our being became dependent on such luxury as super markets, milk and newspaper delivery, paved streets, libraries, orchestras, public schools and the corner tavern.

By now, if someone fell ill, family was spread too far to help. Dependence on the society infrastructure took away self-sufficiency.

The fact is I live in a city. The city offers me the creature comforts of fresh water, electricity, gas heat, streetlights, fire and police protection, trash removal and pavement repairs. The market is within walking distance and now with the Internet, everything is available with a click of a mouse and a credit card to be delivered to my doorstep.

Even with all the modern wonders, I am self-sufficient. I am not a member of any faith organization or medical community to rely on for assistance (other than 911). Friends and family are far apart and rarely conversed. Neighbors are unfamiliar and unknown. Emotional connections or dependence have been avoided by choice, which leaves an island.

The fires and floods of this year have brought this fact to my attention. At an age when total destruction and lost of material worth would be as devastating as those looking for assistance from the government and society to recover, when did we become so dependent on others?