Gratefulness is good for you.  An article from UCLA explains that 15 minutes of gratitude a day can impact your mental wellbeing, heart health, and sleep. That means taking time to reflect on our blessings isn’t just a one time occurrence with turkey and pie, but maybe this exercise should be a daily occurrence. 

This also makes me think, If gratefulness is beneficial in our daily life, what would an integration of gratefulness look like in our firearm communities?

There are the obvious things we can be grateful for such as election results that are supportive of the Second Amendment. But there are challenges ahead of us in the upcoming year: educating, reaching, and welcoming more people to our community. What would happen if we confront these challenges through the perspective of gratitude and adding more thankfulness to our vocabulary?

When we lead with gratefulness, our perspective shifts, and as we reach out to build our community, it is the positive approach that will welcome and make others feel comfortable and receptive to our matches, sport, and safety protocols. Also we can reach out to those in our community and thank them for the many ways they support and contribute! At the ORA we make it a point to thank and recognize those in our membership who are making a difference.

With that, I am grateful today, and all the other days of the year for you– for being a member of the ORA and your passion, commitment, and work to secure the future for our freedoms.

Last weekend was the Lawton Gun Show and our members represented!  Thank you to Joe Charles of SCRAP!  

There are many opportunities throughout the year to represent the ORA at shows and events, contact us to volunteer in 2025!