Dear Concealed Carry Woman,

I’ve seen you around. And I’ve watched you. You’re paying attention. You stay away from uncomfortable environments. You remove yourself from uncertain situations. You notice people, and you make casual eye contact. You don’t let your guard down. And even though you are a very pleasant and kind person, you are never blissfully unaware. You save the daydreaming for another time and place. You are never caught up in your thoughts or just running on “cruise control.”

You have the right mindset. And that’s truly the most important thing you can arm yourself with. You have made the determination that you will not be a victim. You make smart, conscious decisions, but you also count on those God-given, subconscious reactions. You always live in the present, but you look forward to the future, and you have learned from the past.

You are mentally prepared. And you are willing to take action.

With increases in crime such as theft, rape, and assault, you realize that this world isn’t perfect and that you need to be prepared for yourself—and quite possibly for your family and for others around you.

You embrace your natural fear, your gut instinct, that intuition that tells you when something is just not right.

You do your very best to plan ahead…and to always be prepared.

You are vigilant. You keep your eyes and ears open and observe what and who is around you. You look for safety. You look for escape. You look for the positive, the helpful, and the possible. You keep your head up, both literally and figuratively. And you take mental notes. You understand that your survival could depend on it.

Avoid. Escape. Defend. Those words are always in your mind. In that order. Every time.

You train with your firearm. You know marksmanship. You know defensive shooting. You understand situational awareness and the color codes. You never live in Condition White. You are always in a state of controlled readiness. And you realize how important this information is for everyone, so you share it with all those who will listen.

But you also realize that it’s not enough just to know the terminology, the ropes, or the politically correct answers. You know that putting the concealed carry lifestyle into practice takes dedication, earnestness, and an awesome responsibility.

Many people admire you. Others fear you. Some don’t understand why you do what you do. But, still, you choose to embrace the Second Amendment. You choose to carry a firearm for protection. And I appreciate and respect you.

So don’t let others get you down. Don’t let their misunderstanding cause you to second-guess yourself. Keep on keeping on. You are doing the right thing.

You are capable.

You are inspirational.

You are strong.

And, by the way…yellow looks good on you.

Sincerely,

A Fellow Sister in Arms