Cowgirl Sass & Savvy

 Thank you, cowboys

by Julie Carter
 

You wouldn’t think it wouldn’t happen here in rural small town New Mexico, a state that is home to cowboys that are famous, infamous as well as a good number of genuine unknown cowboys.

But it did. When my son was 10, he came home from school totally insulted because his classmates told him he was “too cowboy.” Somewhat hurt but very disgusted he said, “They don’t like me because I’m a cowboy.”

I tried not to laugh. I knew he was serious and didn’t know how to take what he perceived as insults. I told him what they had said was not really the insult they wanted it to be. Without realizing it, they were giving him a great compliment.

He looked puzzled so I continued to explain to him just what being a cowboy meant.

“Cowboy” is not just a job punching cows, breaking horses and roping cattle. It is not just a cowboy hat and a pair of boots with jingling spurs. It is so much more.

It is an attitude of integrity and a heritage of doing what is right. It is a way of living with the intent of doing things with honor. It is good manners, responsibility and living with ethics that the world as a whole has long forgotten.

Loyalty runs deep in cowboys. “Ridin’ for the brand” isn’t just working on the outfit that pays you. It is a deeply imbedded strain of integrity that requires doing things to the best of your of ability at whatever task is set before you -- whether you like the job or not.

The Code of the West says to ask no more and give no less than honesty, courage, loyalty, generosity and fairness. Quoting from Cowboy Logic, "Honesty is not something you flirt with -- you should be married to it!"

These are people who work hard all day and go to bed tired. A man’s word is his bond and a handshake deal is the same as a signed contract.  For a cowboy, the difference between right and wrong has no gray area.

Here is what else cowboy’s have that is as enduring as the core of their being – generous hearts. The term “give the shirt off his back” may not have originated with a cowboy, but it could have because that is exactly how they are.

This past weekend a benefit ranch rodeo was held in my honor to raise funding for the bills the medical industry keeps sending me during my fight with breast cancer. The cowboys that attended came knowing that the payback for winning would be less than usual as part of their entry fees fed the benefit account.

They came anyway. They brought their families, horses, spent hard-earned money (which is usually pretty scarce for a cowboy) on hotdogs, drinks, sandwiches, lemonade etc. They played to win a little cash and some of the prizes that had been donated to help make up a little for less money. The rodeo paid three places in the average.

After it was all over, all three top teams came to me and handed me back their winnings saying, “This is for you Ms. Julie.” There aren’t words to express how choked up it made me and still does. I will forever get tears when I think about it. It was generosity above and beyond.

Thank you, cowboys. You once again made the name cowboy mean something special and you lived up to what we all already knew about the nature of cowboys. I tip my hat to you always. May God bless you mightily for your truly good hearts.

All those years ago, I reminded my son that he came from a long line of cowboys and that was a good thing. I told him the next time he was “accused” of being a cowboy he should simply say “Thank you. I’m proud to be one.” And today, I couldn’t be prouder of the grownup cowboy he has become.

Julie can be reached for comment at jcarternm@gmail.com.

 

Julie Baker Carter and son Lane