Posted on November 24, 2008 - by Andy McMahon

Life Lessons

Thursday, before Andrea went to the hospital, something extremely strange happened.

We were laying in bed, about to go to sleep, our lights were turned off, and I was just about to slip away to dreamland, when I heard leaves crumpling outside of our window.  I opened my eyes, certain it was a cat or something, when I saw the silhouette of a person. 

Immediately, I sat up at an angle to cover Andrea’s body. (More on that in a minute) I whispered, “Don’t say a word.”  When the shadow person moved away from the window, I got up to go get dressed.  I was going to go out and talk to whomever it was.  (I still have some street in me.)  Andrea convinced me that was probably a bad idea, so I went to check out the front door, and other windows, to make sure there wasn’t more than one person.  When I came back to the bedroom, Andrea told me the person had been back to the window. DOH!  We called the police.

They didn’t find anyone, (Of course) and we decided we should leave for the night, and if anyone wanted to rob us that was fine, but we didn’t want to die. That’s when Andrea’s pain got severe and she had to go to the ER.

I learned some things from that night though.  Without even thinking about it, I threw my body up to cover Andrea’s.  That surprised me.  Not  because I wouldn’t do anything to protect her, but because I was super surprised that it was instinct.  No decision making at all.  I was very proud of myself.

That night was the first time it had ever crossed my mind that I don’t have a gun.  I don’t believe I need a gun.  I’ve always been able to talk myself out of most situations.  I have to admit I would have felt safer with a gun.  But, that still goes against my core belief of raising a family.  My point was proven even more that night.  I always said, “IF (and that’s a big if) I have a gun, I’ll keep it locked away so my children (Or angry wife) couldn’t get to it.”  Thursday night it hit me.  Had something happened where I needed to grab my gun, I would not have been able to get to it if it were locked up.  It would have had to been on my nightstand, or somewhere equally easy for a kid, (or my angry wife) to get it.

Point and case.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not afraid to defend myself, and I typically walk away when I do.   I’m not afraid to defend my wife, and I am not afraid to defend my home.  I do not need a gun.  If someone else shows up with a gun, I guess it’s in God’s hands.  And I’ll be honest, I’d rather it be in His hands then mine.