The Old Saying.....

Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.  I heard this for the first time about 20 years ago and I was floored by the circumstance in which someone had said that to me.  I have kept this saying in my head since then.  Now I disliked the person who said it and this comment made me dislike this man even more after it.  The situation was completely different than poor planning for a weather emergency or an emergency in general.  Basically they didn't think that they should have to help out others who didn't prepare for a situation beyond their control. 

But in the same time, it does pertain to us "preppers".  I honestly don't think that the world is going to come to an end.  I do think that our country can continue to fall into worse governmental meltdown than it has.  I think that it is possible for our economy to collapse or for another country or even a group of terrorists to invade us and terrorize us on our soil.  I also think that even more realistic is that my husband or I could lose our job, or severe weather can reek havoc.  If these very real scenerios can happen to us then they can also happen to our neighbors, other family members, and our friends.

So the question is: do we prepare to help our neighbors as well?  Do we tell our neighbors that we are preparing?  Do we ask our neighbors to prepare also?  How is the best way to prevent us from saying to a neighbor "I am sorry but failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."  I would hate to have to say it to them.  Should we stock extra so we can share?  Should we teach our neighbors to prepare also?  These are all things I am thinking about right now. 

We "preppers" can be known in some circles as "extremists", "crazies", and "nutjobs".  I don't think I am any of those.  I am not extreme.  I am prepared.  I am not crazy.  I am just ready.  I am not a nut job.  I am protective of my family.  So how do I approach this subject with my neighbors?

I would love any advice that others might have on this subject.