Slowly overcoming my fear of guns

As part of my goal to learn to defend myself (No. 3 of the 40 things to do by the time I'm 40), I must become more comfortable around guns. That's not to say that is the only thing I have to do to accomplish this goal. And of course it's not that I should not be afraid of guns. A healthy fear is necessary. But due to my inexperience with guns (and the inconvenient fact they were designed to kill), I have never felt comfortable near them – even when they aren't loaded.

Yet I'm married to a man who owns several.