Change is up there with bullfighting and oysters: you either love it or don't care much at all for it. Compared to the others, unfortunately, it's several degrees harder to avoid. File it under Life's Not Fair.
Somewhere in the laws of physics must be a formula explaining why so few things in this life are static. Particularly the good stuff. Just when you get it right, just when it's all tweaked the way you like it and the planets line up and all is good with the world, something changes and before you know it you're back to square one, trying to make it right and good again. Einstein should have calculated the energy wasted trying to stop, undo or otherwise negate change.
Earlier this season I finally gave up shooting my standby 870. It is the first shotgun I ever owned and it's brought down just about every winged species of game in the lower 48, yet this fall I found myself (again) unable to hit much of anything with it. I left it in the closet a few weeks ago in favor of my "walking gun", a lightweight 20 gauge that I carry on extended hikes, and quickly started dropping birds again. Change. I could get all maudlin about it but what's the point? The 870 will still be there in the closet when I can't hit the ground with that 20 gauge.
Sitting under a pair of trees in the dove field last weekend I looked up at the branches of one, already mostly bare, and fought off the slightest bit of chill from the shade of the other. Undeniable, unstoppable, once again fall is coming. Change. Maybe file it under Sometimes Life Ain't So Bad.
As far as stasis is concerned, I think it has something to do with the second law of thermodynamics or something.
ReplyDeleteOn the gun, well, I'm a streaky shooter, always have been, and the mystery of why I'll shoot a gun well for a while and then watch it all go to hell will always remain just that. I never know on any given day what shooter will show up (which may help explain why I mostyl hunt alone...)
It's funny how the simple change of a gun can make us better shooters. I think it is more of a "mind" thing. Kind of like new golf clubs make you hit it better. Did they really or was it just in your head?? Nice read!
ReplyDeleteOddly enough Chad, when I hunt alone I shoot like an Olympic champion. Which points to what Trey said about it being in the head, and I can't argue with that. The gun sure hasn't changed any.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, maybe the same one, my dog always hunts better when it's just the two of us too.
Well, that's what pro shooting coaches say - "after you've got the basics down, 90% of misses are in your head".
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