Cowboy Way

By Cowboy Skip

When people ask me as they often do, “Are you really a cowboy?”  I tell them in the past I rode my horse every day.  I ran cattle, I announce at rodeos and I attend Cowboy church.  That usually satisfies them and yet there is so much more.

The way a Cowboy lives is summed up by one of my cowboy thoughts, “When it comes time for you to die make sure that is all you have to do.”

Growing up on a farm in Colorado taught me that if something needed to be done, the best person to do it is the one closest to the situation.  I learned that my responsibility was to be the best that I could be and that I counted and I was also accountable.

As a child my parents saw to it that I was in church every week, not by sending me but by taking me.  I learned the Ten Commandments, and the Pledge of Allegiance to our country.

Growing up in the 1950’s, I admired Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy and everyone who had the guts to not only talk the talk but also walk the walk.

I tried to emulate my heroes.  First of all it was my family, my father, my brother, my uncles. I tried to live by the Roy Rogers Riders Club Rules:

1. Be neat and clean.
2. Be courteous and polite.
3. Always obey your parents.
4. Protect the weak and help them.
5. Be brave.
6. Study hard and learn all you can.
7. Be kind to animals and care for them.
8. Eat all your food and never waste any.
9. Love God and go to Sunday School regularly.
10. Always respect our flag and our country.

As I grew older, I have lived by Gene Autry’s Cowboy Code of Honor:

A cowboy never takes unfair advantage – even of an enemy.

1. A cowboy never betrays a trust, and never goes back on his word.
2. A cowboy always tells the truth.
3. A cowboy is kind and gentle to small children, old folks and animals.
4. A cowboy is free from racial and religious intolerances.
5. A cowboy is always helpful when someone is in trouble.
6. A cowboy is a good worker.
7. A cowboy respects women, his parents and his nation’s laws.
8. A cowboy is clean about his person in thought, word and deed.
9. A cowboy is a Patriot.

I have tried to live my life understanding that every person counts and that we all need to stand up for what needs to be done.  We have been given a great country and the gift of freedom.  This gift was paid for at a great cost of blood, money and tears.  It is our responsibility to turn this country over to our children and grand children maintaining our great country.