What would you do if you were presented with the opportunity to go back and do it all over again?

I got accidentally upvoted into my first “Top Gun” today. It was about my youngest son and his first time at a gun range. Looking back at that post got me thinking about how my views on guns have changed over time.<br><br>Many “Top Gun” posts are from new gun owners in the process of learning from a fellow redditor. That wasn’t really my path. I was 33 years old when I bought my first gun. I was a Tea Party conservative at the time, but can’t say I really knew what I was doing. It never really occurred to me that I could have asked for help, and now that’s a pretty foreign concept.<br><br>I remember watching a video posted here about the safest direction to point a gun, and a comment in a thread about the importance of using ear protection. I tried to figure out the rest on my own.<br><br>If you’re new here, please don’t do what I did. The people on this sub are experts who have spent countless hours of their lives honing their skills, and would be more than happy to teach you what they know. Just ask them.<br><br>Edit: thank you all for your kind words. As for the follow up question regarding what caused me to have a change of heart, I wouldn’t say there was a single catalyst. I just started to be more open with my political views, and the people around me who didn’t share them were respectful and welcoming. It made me take a more nuanced approach to my views, and I now identify as a Democrat. I’m still a gun owner and plan on being one for the foreseeable future.