What I Did for Love

By Kellene Bishop

“I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself and there I take my stand.” Susan B. Anthony

This may be a side of me that my readers wouldn’t expect to read, but here goes. I am officially a hopeless romantic. After 10 years of marriage—the last 7 of which we’ve worked together self-employed—I’m still madly in love with my husband. I still get butterflies when he takes me in his arms and kisses me. I still replay his sweet voicemail messages because I so love the sound of his voice. I still like to fall asleep holding his hand at night. Every morning, after his workout and shower, he actually wakes me with a back rub. He calls me his Princess in a gentle and genuine tone. In short, I’m married to a real life Prince Charming. 

Wesley from the Princess Bride photo c/o costumersguide.com

I always dreamed of marrying my own personal “Rambo” or “Wesley” from “The Princess Bride.” Doesn’t every girl at least entertain such dreams? I was no exception. Even now, with my own independent set of skills, I have to admit I like the fact that I’m married to the real Prince Charming. Sure, he stinks like boys sometimes do, and he teases me mercilessly. He also has a warped sense of humor that is always shared when we’re around new friends. As a clean-up man in the kitchen? Nah, not so great. But then again, when did any Disney movie portray the prince in such a manner? (Can you picture Chuck Norris cleaning out the refrigerator or considering whether or not to wash the whites in hot or cold water?) But when it comes to my Prince Charming—as a protector—no fairy tale could do him justice. He has fast reflexes. Excellent aim. He is expertly adept at using his person for a weapon if need be. He’s strategic. And he’s very observant. So I’m certain that he would indeed “save” me from any fire-breathing dragons that may cross my path. That is, IF he’s around.

Prince Charming contending with an unwelcome rattler at Scout camp

Consider that Prince Charming is usually the first to heed a call for assistance in the neighborhood, frequently accompanies the Scouts on their long-distance hikes and campouts, is the first one to call when someone sees a cougar or a venomous snake, and travels frequently to conduct firearm instruction. Additionally you have the fact that I’m quite an independent and busy woman. I travel all over teaching my classes, drive long distances to see my beloved sister and nieces, and spend hours getting my dose of “retail therapy”—an activity that he loathes. So the likelihood of my Prince Charming being around in the event of a dangerous situation is only about a 50/50 chance.

Now let’s consider one other important aspect of all of this. My husband and I truly do love each other. I waited a long time to find the right guy for me. After watching my mother marry and divorce 5 times, I had all but given up that marriage was to be anything special. Thank goodness my husband restored my faith in marriage. But now that I’ve got him, I really don’t want to lose him. Seriously. If I were to dwell on losing him before I’m dead, I would probably cry like a love-sick girl. On the other hand you have my husband. In spite of his tough exterior, he’s actually a bit of a hopeless romantic. (Think about it. Prince Charming actually has to be, otherwise us women would never fully appreciate the movies, right?) I’m confident in my belief that if something were to ever happen to me, it would nearly destroy him.

Photo c/o Brooks Kraft/Corbis

Why am I sharing all of this “mushy stuff” with you? Because, it was as a result of my genuine love for my husband, as well as other family members that I adore, that I pushed past my fears, preconceived notions and uninformed judgments about guns, and learned how to properly defend myself. Being able to defend myself isn’t about fear, hatred, or prejudices. Rather it’s just one more way that I ensure peace in my life and those that I love. I would much rather live with the responsibility of taking another human beings’ life who posed a threat to my own, than living eternally on “the other side” watching my husband and other loved ones struggle with anger and hatred due to an inconsolable loss. Yup. Learning how to shoot is what I did for love. Love for my husband, my brother and sister, my adorable nieces and nephews, my friends, etc. What are you willing to do for love? Live competently or die unnecessarily?

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.