"Why can't you get in 'girl trouble'?" That's what my Dad said to me when I found myself in a tad bit of mischief during my high school days. I was always the girl who wanted to do the things that guys so stereotypically thought that girls weren't capable of. I tried things like riding motorcycles. My first time ended tragically as I ran full throttle into a parked car and broke my arm. I'll admit that didn't stop me from getting back on one in time. Needless to say, I wasn't gun shy.
And as much as that sounded like a metaphor, it was literal. I found my niche and it just so happened to be guns. The men in my family are all avid hunters, and have been since I can remember. Growing up I always showed an interest in going hunting as well, so my brother and my dad would take me along with them on occasion. I was probably nine or ten years old when I got my first gun. Now, don't get me wrong this gun was a BB gun, which if not sighted in was about as harmless as a sling shot. But my eyes lit up when my dad handed it to me that christmas morning.
The older I got the more I learned about the silent sport of hunting and the more responsible I became with a gun. I was allowed to carry my weapon now while hunting with dad, and pretty soon he decided that it was time for me to have my own semi-automatic. I remember him saying, "Now, that's not a toy you know." I had it out on the back porch target practicing that very day.
The last gun that was gifted to me, was just this past christmas. My parents decided to pass down to me a gun of my grandfathers, that passed away a little less than a year ago. "Now, that's a good gun. You take care of it. I think your granddaddy would have wanted you to have that." Even at 20 years old and a full time college student, I look for the opportunity to fire a gun every chance I get. Not only is it a sport to most but its a sense of empowerment for a woman such as myself.
Never underestimate a girl and her gun. Now, to find me some guy trouble...;)
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