Western Cowboy Wisdom: Life on the Frontier
I grew up reading all the western classics by Louis L’amour. No one wrote like him and I am always on the look out for new authors. One of my new favorite modern western authors is John Deacon who writes in a similar way to L’amour. Sparse, direct with a clear love of the wild west, interspersed with chaste love interests, lots of action and surprising nuggets of wisdom.
I’ve read his Provider and Kip series, which were excellent. But his new series Conn shows his development as an author. Conn is the badman gunfighter twin who comes to town to avenge his fallen brother. Trying to turn a new leaf and having experienced a tough life he is quite wise. A man whose promise actually counts for something. He does what he says, he says what he does. So rare in modern times but something that was valued on the frontier. A place of great opportunity but intense danger from bandits, Indians, wild animals and harsh weather. And few people, so you had to be able to count on one another.
He had rode the trails as they say and he gives some wise advice to the wayward son of a friend:
“I’m gonna say something now and I know you aren’t gonna listen, but I’m gonna say it anyway. I have to say it because your daddy isn’t here to say it himself….you just keep in mind that every day, you’re making choices. Every one of them either helps or hurts you. Every friend you make, every word you speak, every dollar you spend….. It’s all leading you further out one trail or another. You gotta stop staring at your nose and start watching the horizon.
Look to the future. Figure out what you want. Figure out what you want to be. Then live your life in a way that will get you there. Everything you do, make it a step toward becoming the man you want to be.”
When the boy says: “I’ll try, sir”, Conn responds with: “Don’t try, Do it. The world’s full of men who fool themselves, saying they’ll try. That’s how they stay right where they are, making the same old mistakes and never getting where they want to go.
That’s the way of the world, son. Trick is, once you realize you’re riding the wrong trail, to turn around and hunt a better one.”
This is good advice for all young men. I’d say I take this to heart too. I’ve made so many mistakes in my life, personal finance, career and maybe more damning in my family life. But that’s life. You made decisions and you fix it as soon as you realize it. Move forward and make things better. Just like Conn.