Born Too Soon (A Little Known Fact About The Easily Influenced Stitcher)

I usually say that I was born too late because I've always been kind of an old soul, but now something has occurred that makes me realize that, in this instance, I have been born too soon.

First of all, let it be known that I don't have much of an interest in sports.  I've always been bad at things like basketball & softball. Look up the word "uncoordinated" in the dictionary & you will find my picture.  I can't even dance!  But one "sporty" thing I really had a talent for was shooting a rifle.  A 22 to be exact.  When I was growing up my parents had a cabin in Marienville, Pennsylvania where we would go every weekend during the summers.  We had a nice piece of ground & to keep me occupied & out of their hair my dad set up a shooting range for me.  I used to shoot a bow & arrow (not good at that) & a 22.  I was extremely good with that 22 shooting at targets & cans.  The kids in neighboring camps even called me Annie Oakley!

I continued to enjoy shooting when I entered high school & jumped at the chance to try out for the school's rifle team when I found out there was one!  I was the only girl who tried out.  Unfortunately I missed the necessary score that would put me on the team by one point.  One point!  Argh!  That's what I was told by the team leader anyway. I suppose back then it could have been a "we don't want girls on our rifle team" kind of thing but I don't think so because everyone seemed pretty excited to see me there.

I don't remember ever shooting again after that.  I didn't go with my parents to the cabin anymore & didn't know anything like shooting clubs or shooting ranges existed. Over the years my love of shooting has never left me.  Sometimes when we are driving somewhere I will see a sign for a rifle range & think how nice it would be to go there.  Then we get home & I sit in my recliner & stitch something or I go take a nap.    

Just a few minutes ago I was visiting a new-to-me blog & the writer of the blog had a feed running for the Olympics & what did I happen to see when I entered this blog?  A promo for womens shooting!  There's a 3-position rifle shooting category!  Be still my heart!  If I had known such a thing existed when I was growing up (not that it existed back then ... it looks like it's a relatively new category just in the past 10 years or so) believe me, I would've been in training for that!  I was so excited seeing this ad that I immediately told John about it & how I would've definitely set my sights on being on the team "if only."  His response was "I don't think there's any age limit in the Olympics."  I said "I can see my face on a cereal box now."  It's fun to think about but of course my eyes aren't what they used to be & I haven't shot a rifle since high school.  It was nice to have a few memories come flooding back to me this morning though, & to fantasize ... if only for a brief moment ... about what might have been   : )