Survival Isn't Mandatory

<h4>With no sure bets and after near-fatal mistakes survival was never mandatory.</h4><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>In 1947 Janet's family was surprised with a girl. It's not the first time in history this has happened to a family but hers had very clear ideas about it. If she had been a boy she'd have been happy to shoot rabbits right between the eyes drive trucks flatbeds and tractors kick ass and kill chickens. And never cry!</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But what's a girl to do? Taught to manage anger fear and confusion by staying quiet being polite and saying thank you Janet was expected to listen and follow orders even though life in the San Joaquin Valley could be cruel hard and oftentimes vague.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>This shaky girl wanted more than anything to be brave. Her life was about exploring boundaries and exploding truths all while discovering there are no guarantees. Struck down by multiple assaults she stands up wrestles with her limits begins to build strength and finds her voice.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>She learned to live and shoot by the hard truths of the San Joaquin Valley: Change is choice life is hard and certainly not mandatory.</span></p>