Why I Train
I took a 2 day rifle class last year and of course, learned a lot about how to live and work with my rifle. Something I always look forward to in a training course is the information and stories that the instructors will share to help get their point across. One of the instructors was telling a story about a relative that happened to be present during a large mass shooting. One of the biggest regrets he had was not taking the opportunity to train this relative with emergency medical knowledge so that she could go forward and save as many lives as possible. Keep that last sentence in mind as we continue.
I see a lot of people purchasing firearms and ammunition right now out of fear of what might happen. When asking them why, I will hear examples of the riots, civil unrest, general availability or non-availability of firearms and ammunition, amongst other reasons. Now, all of these reasons are valid of course. Given the current climate, you can cite almost every large metropolitan city as your source. But, there is an overall underlying theme with these reasons that we really need to place the focus on. So I will say this. Don’t train out of fear but train out of love.
You might be saying, “what kind of hippie crap is that!?”. But hear me out. For me, my training motivations have changed dramatically over the years. From defense of myself, to defense of myself and my wife, to defense of myself and my family. Yes, I enjoy shooting, so taking classes is an enjoyable experience. But my motivations are rooted in love. I love my family so much that I am willing to sacrifice my time and money to learn the most effective skills possible to defend their lives.
I took this another step. I became so comfortable and confident with these skills that I wanted to teach them out. I wanted to expand that love I have for my family to others. To help provide them with the skills and confidence to protect the ones they love. I may not be able to be there when bad shit happens to you, but I can do my best to share out these skills I’ve learned so you can use them and pass them on to others to use as well. I can tell you the feelings I would have if something happened to a friend that has been putting off their Concealed Carry class for months, or the family member that just doesn’t take me up on my offer to teach them how to throw a tourniquet on. So all I can do is offer. I will put the knowledge out there and it is up to you to pick it up. Do not put yourself in that position of regret. Learn everything you can so you can be in a useful position if the need arises.
That is why I say, don’t train out of fear but train out of love. Whatever your reason may be for learning or teaching, embrace that shit. Always keep it in the back of your mind. When you are out running drills in below 0 weather, remember why you are there. Remember what rides on it. Stay safe, be comfortable, be confident!