That Soothing Bang

It's funny, isn't it. Once you're enveloped in the shooting world, once you fall in love with the ping of the steel target, once you learn the satisfaction of removing a target from the stand with very well placed groupings, you know what it means when another shooter talks about the soothing effects of shooting.

Our foster girl has learned that as well. Just as with many young women in the foster system, phone calls from or to family can be very painful in many ways. My girl, I call her "Prescott", is no different. Prescott had a phone call from her mother a few days ago that was a tragedy to say the least. After 45 minutes of tears and 3 hours of silence, Prescott looked at me and softly and sweetly said, "I love you."

I choked back the tears and assured her that I would always love her and that she always, always has a home with me. After a few more minutes of silence, she sat up, pulled on her shoes and asked, "Can we please go shoot something?"

I stifled a silly giggle and told her to grab my range bag. We packed up my 1,000 count box of .22 LR and the rifle that she loves and headed out to the range. She spent the afternoon smiling and pinging away. With her troubles a couple of hundred miles and a couple thousand rounds away, she was able to come back from the melancholy and return to the cheerful, beautiful girl she truly is.

Some say that a 16 year old girl already is who she is going to be. I disagree. A few months ago I met a troubled, struggling, depressed child who was failing everything in school, skipping classes and dabbling with drugs and dangerous people. Today, after finding something she's good at and can enjoy, she's kind, considerate, making straight A's, and even holding a 100 in Biology. She is a true blessing to be around.

Can shooting save everyone, no, probably not. Can it give a teenage girl something to be proud of? Absolutely. She is safe, she is strong and now...TODAY...she KNOWS that she's worth it! Thank you all for your support of my endeavor to help more girls in this way. I covet your prayers and appreciate your kindness.