The Cowboy Code

I was recently thumbing through a copy of American Cowboy's Collector's Edition.. LEGENDS of the West.. I don't know about you, but my siblings and I were raised on a steady diet of spagetti westerns and this particular issue focused on how much Hollywood's cowboy and western movies helped to shape our country.  I was pleased to see that when they named 'The 10 Greatest Westerns of All-Time', my Dad's all time favorite classic (that he shared and passed on to all seven of his children) "Once Upon A Time In The West" was number ONE.  But, something else caught my attention.. and as simple as it seems.. we seem to be missing it's common sense a lot now a days.. 

Gene Autry's Cowboy Code:

- A cowboy never shoots first, hits a smaller man, or takes an unfair advantage.
- A cowboy never goes back on his word or a trust confided in him.
- A cowboy always tells the truth.
- A cowboy is gentle with children, the elderly, and small animals.
- A cowboy does not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant views and ideas.
- A cowboy helps people in distress.
- A cowboy is a good worker.
- A cowboy keeps himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.
- A cowboy respects women, parents, and his nation's views.
- A cowboy is a patriot.

Thanks for bringing it all into perspective Gene.  :-)

To the code,

 Ginny

www.GinnyBianchet.com

 “It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life.., that no man can sincerely try to  help  another  without helping himself.”

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Decide.. to make a difference

Sometimes we find the news and situations in life wearing us down.. when I am tired I like to go back and read a little Max.. refreshing.. and thankful he just made a difference. :-)

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start anyone can start and make a brand new end." Author: Carl Bard
Today I Will Make A Difference
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It's OK to stumble...I will get up. It's OK to fail...I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
Max Lucadot (Tyndale Publishing, 1985)