We all get sick and when we do our self defense suffers like the rest of our lives. I’ve been sick for almost a week (some kind of throat cold, no I’m not going to the doctor). Being sick makes us more vulnerable to everything. Here’s some of the things I’m relearning about being sick.
First, I am way more irritable towards people. So if you are carrying a gun (like I always am) you need to recognize this and not let your anger take over. I’ve noticed this especially when I’ve been driving this week. At first I thought it was just holiday traffic and people where driving dumber then ever, but no, everyones’ mistakes just annoy me more.
Next, I normally get a “leave me alone” attitude and don’t want to talk or look at anyone. I’ve seen this with everyone that is sick and you do it too. You just put your head down and do your business running in and out without paying any attention to the people around you. The hard part is that you still need to look up. I did this by wearing a gun/holster/clothing combination that made me a little uncomfortable about my gun showing. That way every time I tugged at my shirt to make sure my gun was covered it gave me a little reminder to look around. Find yourself a trigger like that while you are sick to remember to look around.
Last, when we are sick we look like prey. When you are sick you look like the wounded weak animal in the pack to the monsters out there that wants your stuff. Remember that as you go out. Try not to wear sweats and a sweatshirt while carrying a tissue to your face that advertises how sick you are. Even if you feel like you are dying you can suck it up for the couple minutes that you have to walk through the parking lot and store. Hold your head up and pretend that you aren’t sick for those couple minutes so you look less like prey.
Stay Safe,
Ben