It’s funny how familiarity works. When you see someone nearly every spring for more than a decade, you think you know them. From the smiles on the range and the casual quick catch ups, in truth, these interactions just skim the surface. I’ve been shooting with Vera Koo for many years. We’ve competed against one another in steel shooting competitions and at Bianchi Cup. We’ve even shared a podium as teammates representing the Unites States in World Championships. I thought I knew a lot about her, that was until I sat down and learned her story by reading , her own memoir.
Some backstory, Vera and I are both passionate action pistol shooters. In fact, we both started our pilgrimage to Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club for the Bianchi Cup at almost the same time. Where I was a rosy-cheeked private on the US Army Shooting Team, Vera was nearing her 50’s. A beautiful and poised Asian woman, she and I were both far from the typical participants in this male-dominated sport.
As a young competitor, I respected Vera. If I could use only one word to describe her, it would have been tenacious. An early riser, she’d start her training days like I did, often among the first to open the range gate and hang her targets. I admired her intensity and her dedication to her own routine. I respected her work ethic and drive. I even studied her shooting style with open-minded consideration to see if it might work for me.
Reading through the pages of , I wasn’t at all surprised to read about her views on work, mastery of skill or goal setting.
“Goals are important to me. I think of them as seeds. When I decide to plant one, it’s going to branch out and germinate in my mind until I see it to completion.”
Vera’s dedication to be the best shooter she could be was something she could never hide. Tucked away beyond all the hits in the 10-ring, there is so much more to her life and her story.
她以誠實、不加隱掩的態度和筆調，細述她的中國出身背景、她與家一的婚姻、兩人如何度過財務和婚姻考驗，以及如何遭到頭生兒子夭逝的打擊與痛楚。即使在她婚姻生活初期，你就看得出來環境是如何讓她養成她堅韌不屈的個性，以及在考驗中歷練出不凡的本事。她好強的精神不容她不奮勇向前。她承認在苦難的當下她常常看不見祝福在哪裡，但是隨著她對神的信心增強，她完全信任神手做事的時間和目的。因為知道自己一生的起伏不是隨機性質，而是有目的的，不管多麼艱苦，心中自然就泰然心平。 這本書為何有意義 方蓁就是俗話所說的「人不可貌相」的傳神寫照。因為她看起來不像世界級射手一員就形容她是「不太可能」的冠軍，是太低估了她！因為隨著你發現她的韌性之高、之強，你會醒悟到方蓁原來「高度可能」達標成為世界最佳射擊選手之一。她做什麼事都不是半吊子，設定目標然後便以精準的專注力來完成。如同引言所說：「方蓁從她對人生逆境波濤的反應中學到一個寶貴的功課：跌到之後最漂亮的爬起來的動作才會出現。」 我認同她擔當的母親角色和把自己全然奉獻給子女——身為亞裔女性，我了解我們同時擁抱與駁斥死板的傳統；身為妻子，我在傳統亞裔角色與現代美國價值觀中間尋找平衡；身處男性主控的領域，我努力以高度的敬業和技巧來贏得兩性的尊敬。年紀稍長時才進入射擊圈子，靠吃苦和成熟來彌補欠缺的年輕與活力方蓁憑著自己對神的信心和自己具備的堅韌不拔精神，一而再、再二三的攻克重大難關。她要言不煩、雍容大度的說明內心掙扎的方方面面，令我極為激賞。我相信許多認識方蓁的人捧讀此書時，會驚訝自己能從她不屈不撓的性格中多所收穫。 無論你是射擊選手還是對槍械世界有興趣，你都會對這位獨一無二美麗女士的精彩故事激賞不已！ .
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