Years ago, when I was living in southern California, dad often took us camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Those are some beautiful mountains that I am grateful to have seen and experienced as a camper. That is one reason why I am so connected to the Earth and love working it and camping outdoors. I had interesting experiences in these majestic, glorious mountains.
On one camping trip with another family, friends of ours in those days, dad, the other family's dad, his two sons, my mom, their mom, and I, were on a narrow trail, I think it was narrow, hiking into a thick forest filled with trees. I was leading the way on this trail as I always like to lead on hikes. I came close to a tree. A snake suddenly emerged out from behind the tree moving in my direction about three feet away from me. We all stopped, and our friend's father who was behind me, took out his pistol and shot the snake. My dad who was behind him did that too. The snake died.
I am always moved by this incident because that snake was in the process of getting nearer to me and coiling up. I could have been attached by the snake. I don't remember if I heard that rattles of the snake or not, but it was a big snake, and had a lot of rattles on its tail. We took the dead snake back to our campsite, and the father of the other family and his 13 year old son prepared the snake for food. We ate rattlesnake meet that day. It was my first time eating snake, and I remember that there was no much meat but it was tasty. I am not a man of guns, but I am grateful that we had guns that day. The snake was killed and my human life was saved since the snake could have bit me and it was a poisonous snake as rattlesnakes are. Guns do have a purpose in this world. I always remember the saying, "guns don't kill, people kill." That is so true. The killer is mortal mind in every case.
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