En Garde!

I am a sword fighter in a world of guns. 


Clashing blades with someone, or just listening to the whistling sound of a sword cutting through the air, have been some of my favorite ways to spend my free time since before I can even remember. At least my mother says so, and I can attest for that part that I do recall. 


All my life I have battled away, each new opponent like a fresh start to remove all the imperfections from before. 


I never even knew why. Not really. Fun? Oh most certainly. But what was it that I loved so much about swords? 


In a world full of guns I choose the clearly less destructive weapon. Most all of us have seen the scene in "Indian Jones" where that is proved quite thoroughly. 

Why go to all the trouble, all the effort, of learning how to use an outdated weapon? 


Destruction! 
                     Violence!


Why was I using something that takes so long to learn over a gun which is more deadly with absolutely no skill whatsoever? 


Now maybe this was some extremely obvious thing to other people on the planet, but I realized recently why. 


Why I love swords as much as I do, why guns just don't cut it. 

A sword is about so much more the just crude violence. It is a testament to myself. A sign of my will, my resolve. My desire to overcome an obstacle not easily but skillfully and diligently. 


Being skilled with a sword may not save me from bullets, but it does give me the self confidence to know I can likely save someone if I really need to. 


And that self confidence? That is the real worth, the real reason I love swords.

Because in the end my actions, born of violence, have led me to be the person I am; strong and determined to succeed in a world where growing up only gets harder. 


So more likely for me it is swords. 


But that brings up the question,


What is it for you?