Girls, Let's Talk About Shooting
Hi girls,
Today we're going to talk about shooting.
I was blessed enough to spend the day at a shooting range, and let me tell you—it was an experience.
First things first, no one warns you about all the preparation that goes into going to a shooting range. What's an appropriate outfit? Should I wear rings? What about earrings? It might sound silly or like common sense to some of you, but not to me! I had to watch YouTube videos and ask around just to figure out what to wear. Once I had that sorted out, though, it was great.
The range itself wasn't nearly as scary or intimidating as I expected. I had imagined this big, serious place filled with mean people who only cared about killing things and wouldn't be very welcoming to outsiders.
I come from a place where guns are bad, and that's the end of the conversation.
Turns out, it wasn't like that at all.
As one of my favorite people once said, "Blades are merely neutral reflections of those who hold them." - Connor Tomlinson. The same can be said about guns.
I felt very safe and very welcome.
In fact, most people were trying to convince me to shoot. Which is honestly hilarious when you think about it. Imagine trying to convince a woman you've never met before to stand next to you and shoot a firearm. I could be a very dangerous woman !
Another thing that pleasantly surprised me was how comfortable I felt just being there and observing. I was nervous about being "the weird girl" watching everyone shoot. Who even does that?
Apparently... me.
But nothing about it felt awkward.
There were a few women out there doing amazing things, and none of the men talked down to them. If anything, they seemed proud of them. It felt like watching your grandpa teach you something that matters deeply to him and then seeing him beam with pride as you learn it yourself.
I almost teared up.
(I am, in fact, a little emotional.)
To me, there is nothing more important than a good community, and that's exactly what this felt like.
Watching these men talk about guns was like watching little kids talk about their favorite toys. They paid attention to details only they could notice. They asked questions using words I had never heard before. They sat in their camping chairs, watching one another shoot, celebrating improvements and pointing out mistakes.
There was no hatred.
No jealousy.
No trash talking.
Just people lifting each other up.
Just people sharing knowledge and passing it down with patience and kindness.
I was also lucky enough to be in the company of a very respected man who taught me a lot and made sure I felt safe throughout the entire experience.
This is going to sound crazy, and I'm not entirely sure how it's even possible, but I had such a positive experience at that range.
I was surrounded by guns, yet I felt safe.
And I got to witness men in the wild.
To be completely honest, I've always had a difficult relationship with the male species. I've had my fair share of disappointing experiences, and because of that, I sometimes struggle to trust or understand them. It’s hard to feel comfortable when you hear what comes out of their mouths sometimes !
But today, of all places, I met a few men I genuinely respected.
They treated me and the other women like everyone else. They didn't laugh at us or look down on us. They wanted us to learn and understand their hobby. They wanted us to respect it as much as they do. Not that I expected them to bully us of course. But I did expect a little bit of an attitude ! And I have never felt happier about biting my tongue more than today.
So here's what i learned today :
New york state laws about gun aren’t the smartest
Wear clothes tight to your body
Shooting is fun
Everyone has weird shooting position (and thats okay)
It’s super loud
When a dear comes into the field its a ceasefire
There are so much detail to a gun you could spend hours looking at it
Don’t stick your elbow (like you would hunting) when people intrude your house
NO RINGS
Today was more than about guns. It was about bounding, sharing, and being in a community. I witness people helping each other, helping each other and creating memories together.
And the best part, was witnessing people open their world to someone who's never been part of it before.