Old Cowboys

OLD COWBOYS

(Reflections following the death of Henry Applegarth  1994)

We're running out of old cowboys.

Their numbers are diminishing fast.

Have we learned all they've had to teach us?

Can we teach our children without old cowboys?

Without preaching, without nagging

but by doing what cowboys do,

they've taught us so very much.

They've taught us the lessons of life.

From the old cowboys we've learned to

pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and

get back in the saddle no matter how many times

we're bucked off.

We've learned to carry an extra loop because

sometimes it takes too long to rebuild.

We've learned to eat dirt, get a good night's sleep

and try again in the next go-round.

We've learned to laugh at our misses,

to argue the details, and always, always

to tell the story over and over

so we can keep the memories.

We've learned to be self sufficient but

to always lend a hand to a neighbor in need.

We've learned to tighten our belts and

hope for the prices to go up next year.

We've learned to accept the sunshine

--and the rain and the snow and the wind

because all are necessary for life.

We've learned so much from the old cowboys.

Those of us who are young cowboys,

who live in harmony with nature,

those of us who are ranchers and farmers

have ready access to the lessons of life.

But how do those of us who are engineers

or teachers, or lawyers, or carpenters,

we who work in factories and offices,

how do we pass on the lessons of life?

The lessons are the same whatever we do--

we pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and

and try again no matter how many times

we've failed to mark.

We learn to laugh at our misses,

to argue the details, and always, always

to tell the story over and over

so we can keep the memories.

We tighten our belts and hope for the future.

We learn to accept the sunshine

--and the rain and the snow and the wind

because all are necessary for life.

And, whatever else we do,

We remember our old cowboys

-- with thanksgiving --

especially at Thanksgiving.