Essay #2 rough draft....

While reading the story "Shooting Dad", I realized that this story was similar to my father and sister's relationship. My father and sister have never seen eye to eye when it comes to hunting or politics. Both my father and sister are very well educated people who are too hard headed for their own good. I was reminded of what living with the two of them was like when I was reading "Shooting Dad."

My father and I are both avid hunters. It is a passion that we share and love to do together. Now as for my sister she thinks we are terrible people who she refers to as murderers. She thinks that us killing the animals is so cruel and inhumane. My father and I have tried to explain to her that what we do is more humane than what they do to the slaughter house raised animals. We have asked her numerous times to accompany us on a hunt so she can see that there is so much more to it than just shooting and killing animals. Similar to Vowell in "Shooting Dad", my sister refuses to try to accept that one person's hobby isn't wrong just because she chooses not to participate in it herself. Oh my goodness, lets not even mention politics around the two of them.

I am not a political person at all, but my dad and sister are political enough for the three of us. My father and sister are not able to hold a conversation about politics without it turning into a huge argument. The two of them aren't able to be civil towards each other. They are so hard headed that they actually will become enemies and not talk for weeks following a political debate amongst the two of them. It is really heart breaking for me sometimes to see how much they argue over something so silly. I have realized over the years that they will never be able to have a conversation about politics without fighting, so my mom and I avoid the subject at all costs.

Now one thing that my sister and father do have in common is love for the arts. They are both very artistic individuals who love to share their passion for the arts with each other. I am glad that they have at least this in common. I watch them draw together and paint together and it is so amazing. They have spend endless nights studying and reading about artists and pieces of art. It makes me so happy to see that they can appreciate each other when it comes to art.

"Shooting Dad" is a perfect example of life being too short to build barriers between family members. My family is similar to Vowell and her father in the respect that they have had a hard time excepting each other for their differences throughout their lives, but in the end when it mattered the most to her dad she was able to put all her feelings aside and honor his last wish. I hope that one day my father and sister can let their guards down about politics and hunting and respect each others opinions on the subjects. I think it would be neat if they just saw the debates as a form of furthering their educations on other's opinions and not as a negative thing. They really should be praising each other on how well educated they each are instead of bashing each other down. Just like Vowell and her dad, I hope my dad and sister can let down their guards and learn to love one another for their differences.