Your Castle Is Your Shelter – A Highest Priority

Or perhaps, your shelter is your castle. Or maybe, your castle is shelter from the storm. Shelter is one of the highest priorities in survival & preparedness. Shelter – Water- Food – Security (and more).

It’s taken for granted. A roof over our head. In it’s most basic form, it is our shelter from the outside elements. It literally provides life-saving protection.

This morning Mrs. J and I were doing our near-daily walk up and down our private way to the crossroad. It’s 1/3 mile of which we usually do at least several laps to get the blood flowing in the morning. Well this time it was very windy – gusting 20-30 or so…with some biting wind chill. There’s nothing quite like the sound of strong winds in the forest pines – sometimes literally roaring. Anyway, we did one lap and said that’s enough.

What a stark contrast from being outside in ‘the storm’, to walking through your front door into a warm and cozy shelter. Upon closing the door, the howling winds are left outside. Inside one’s castle, it’s calm and quiet. Makes you appreciate having shelter! Of course the same holds true regardless of the storm (usually). Driving rains. Winter storms. The cold of winter. On and on… Anyway, it struck me again as to how important shelter is with regard to survival & preparedness.

Shelter (our castle) can also be our biggest expense in life. Paying rent, mortgage, and then one day finally owning our own shelter free and clear – except for the endless lifelong taxes on it.

So where am I going with this? I suppose I’m simply pointing out the raw basic high priority of one’s shelter. Regardless of your stage in life (renting apt., renting house, paying mortgage on house, or finally owning the house), it really is a priority #1, with few exceptions.

In today’s world, you only have shelter in so far as your ability to pay for it. If you cannot pay, there’s a high likelihood of becoming homeless. And that’s not a good place to be. Above most all else, one’s financial priorities should be placed upon securing one’s castle. That includes the ability to pay for it into the future (which means smart financial planning and budgeting – securing a cushion).

If you’re renting or paying a mortgage, you do not own your shelter. There are circumstances that could get you evicted. It happens. In my view, it should be a high priority to strive towards owning your own castle, free and clear. At least then, should your income encounter a bump in the road (or worse), at least you’ll have shelter – as long as you pay the taxes (but that’s another story).

Your shelter is so very important. Don’t take it for granted. Pay it off. Keep it in good shape. After all, it is your castle! (A moat sure would be cool too)..