Protection

When the Virginia Tech shooting happened,
I came across a photo the shooter took,
Gun barrel pointed at the camera. At me.
Something in that photo changed me.

A year later, we went camping on the land
Where we would one day live.
With space and time, Phil wanted to sight in
His rifle, his handgun.

After some persuading, I, too, took the handgun,
Aimed, and pulled the trigger.

To say that the discharge deafened me
Would be true, except that it was horrifically
Painful, far beyond what I anticipated.
My head felt like it would explode.

I dropped the gun and staggered away,
In tears and shock.

It didn’t help my phobia to learn that
I dropped the gun pointing towards my sons,
And the gun was loaded and ready to discharge
Again.

There is no real point to this story, other than
Thanks be to God for his protection that day.