Heroes and Uncles

In my eyes the man who sat the straightest in the saddle, was Uncle Bobbie. He literally let hundreds of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and friends of the family, ride his ranch horses. Many of them were invited to stay for the summer, even as early as eight years old. He taught us important life lessons, how to get up with the sun, how to fix fence, and how to drive a pick-up truck. With the nations decrease in family farms, these basic farm-kid mentalities are being lost by simply pressing the delete and escape keys. They are not being taught, if you leave the gate open, the bull will get out and eat Aunt Louise's beans. Instead, our children are learning they can erase their mistakes by a key stroke. He never instilled fear by discussing what not to do. He never told us, if you fall off that horse, the ground will hurt, he let us feel it. Strengthening my thoughts and opinions on learning by doing, not learning by hearing.This morning, before there was a sliver of light on the eastern horizon, my little nieces, Emily and Lily, who have come to stay with us for a week, were asking to ride horses. Impressing upon me our responsibilities (not yet a hero) but as an uncle!