The Cowboy Life

I used to watch Bonanza and every John Wayne movie that was on TV with my granddad.  And I loved them.  Nowadays, I occasionally get "stuck" on a channel that is playing an old re-run and it brings back good memories.  When we used to visit out West on vacation, I would try to envision what it was like to have been a cowboy in the old West, blazing new trails, building log cabins, and living off of the land.  I know it is more "romantic" in my head than it was in reality, but I do like the values that were portrayed in the old TV shows.

But nowadays, being a cowboy is a bad thing to many people.  I think some of that notion comes from our press who vilified Presidents Reagan and Bush as "reckless cowboys".  I also think that some of the bad connotation comes from our education's history teachers who teach that the cowboy was the bad guy that harmed the nature-loving, kind, gentle Native American.  While I am sure some of that is true, I have a different view of the cowboy.  Obviously, I have never been a cowboy and don't know personally what takes place in the cowboy community.  But I have my perceptions.

I see the cowboy as a rugged individual that still, to this day, rises before the sun, rides the range, working the land and his herd of cattle, despite a blizzard or flood or drought.

I think the cowboy makes a deal with a handshake and his word is his bond, something that is stronger than any piece of legal jargon on a piece of paper.

I see the cowboy as steady and thoughtful, making decisions that are deliberate and well thought out.  After all, his livelihood could be determined by those daily decisions.

I see them lending a helping hand when needed, not whining and crying when something doesn't go as planned,  determined, strong, and not willing to take a shortcut for the sake of getting done earlier in the day.

I suspect we will hear quite alot about cowboys in the near future.  And most of it will be negative because Rick Perry is from Texas and appears to be George Bush on steroids.  This blog is not intended to be political.  I don't know enough about Rick Perry to say I will endorse him.

This blog is intended to make you think.  Think about what cowboy persona stand for and what the "old school" version of a cowboy is. 

I, for one, would welcome the cowboy values in my community.

Yeehaw!!