My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

When you see three cowboys riding in a truck, you can always tell who the smartest is. He's the one sitting in the middle, 'cause he don't have to drive and he don't have to get out and open the gate. 

Cowboys have always been a part of Heath's life.  He's been watching one his whole life.  If you know Heath, you know how he feels about our Daddy.  He's been looking up to him since he could.  He used to live on his every word and everything he did was to try to please him and make him proud.  He couldn't wait to be just like him. He usually did no wrong in Heath's eyes.  He taught Heath  how to rope, ride, and open the gate - because I was the one usually sitting in the middle.  Heath's heroes have always been cowboys - since day one. 

Whenever there is a crisis people will do one of two things.  They will either run and avoid the situation or they will come running in with blazing torches to help.  We are usually the torch blazers.  We would like to think that if any of our friends needed anything we would not hesitate to come and help. During this whole ordeal, we have been touched to see what kind of people live in this world. I know that I have talked about this before, but we are just in awe of the kindness and generosity that people still have. 40 days later we still have people carrying torches.  I have never in my life seen so many people ready, willing, and able to help.  I am still hearing of things that people are doing in honor of Heath from ropings to gun rifles to softball tournaments.  The fact is - we just aren't used to us being on the receiving end of these things.  There is something so humbling about it all.  It is indescribable.  I guess that's why they say that giving is better than receiving. When you are receiving you just want to pay it forward.  You want to make someone feel loved just like you are. 

A roping benefit was held on this past Saturday night for Heath.  According to the ropers, it was a pretty big turnout.  About 300 teams were entered and it was an all day event.  But all of this doesn't surprise me.  Cowboys are kinda like brothers, they like to try to out do each other, but at the end of the day they got each others back.  They just can't help it - I guess it's part of that cowboy code they have all been trying to live up to.  Real cowboys are supposed to come riding in on blazing saddles and save the day.  What every one of  these cowboys did with each dally and catch was give a man in a hospital bed something to carry on.  He knew right then and there how he was going to pay it forward.  He listened to each of the winners names as I called them out and grinned as if he had won each place.  He knew every name and I'm sure he could see each face. The sport that he loved was now giving back to him and it overwhelmed him.  Each time we tell him some of the awesome things people are doing for him he sheds tears, but none like the ones when he saw a picture of the breast collar that the winners received.   He couldn't believe his name was on that beautiful piece of leather.  He was so honored that his friends and fellow ropers would do that for him.  He was the one usually trying to win it. 
Cowboys, I'm talking to all of you right now- ya'll really are what the songs are talking about.  Willie was right - cowboys are special.  Ya'll won't ever know how much you touched Heath that night.  When you pulled your trailer home that night, breast collar or not, you won.  You made people everywhere remember that the legends still live on - ya'll are the boys and girls that people aspire to be.  You have bigger hearts than you do hats.  I hope that each time you swung that rope above your head you had Heath's big ole grin in your mind.  Each and everyone of you live up to your anthem -"Cowboy Up".  Heath's hero's have always been cowboys and ya'll proved it.

'Til Tomorrow