You have undoubtedly heard the phrase that "War is hell". The same can be said about self-defense. It, too, is hell when your life is on the line. You don't think. You just react. You go into a state of no-mind in which your only concern is for your very own survival. To hell with the other guy!

Just today I read a story about a father who shot his wife, his two young children, and then himself. He attempted to do the same thing to the third and older child who was 13. However, the kid ran away from his rifle totting dad, who managed to get off a couple of rounds before he-the dad-killed himself.

Let's stand back and imagine what we could have done if we were the kid in that scenario? You are afraid for your life. You're running around a garage trying to flee someone with a shot gun who is hell bent on killing you.

I would think that you would have two options. One option would be to do just what the kid did. Run like hell from your pursuer until you could get away to safety, which this kid did. He ran around the garage from his dad until he found his way out into the safety of a neighbor's house. That neighbor called 911.

The other option would be to fight back while fleeing. By that I mean that you would want to take some of the heat off of you and put some of it on your attacker. Just how do you do this? You pick up anything that you get your hands on and throw it at your attacker. If you see a bolt lying around, pick it up and throw it at him. If you see a brick lying around, pick it up and throw it at him. If you see a screw driver lying around, pick it up and throw at him. If you see a wrench, pick it up, and throw it at him. Whatever you see, pick it up, and throw it at him! Keep the barrage flowing in his direction while, at the same time, continue to flee until you can contact police or get away to safety. In other words, do a little Muhammad Ali on him: "Stick and run" as you inflict heavy damage on your attacker.

Your only concern with one thing and one thing only: Your very own survival! If your pursuer ends up a bloody mess, severely injured, damaged for life, or even dead, it is none of your concern. War is hell and so, too, is self-defense when your life in on the line!