TAKE CARE OF YOUR HORSE FIRST

I was half way through my paper route recently when one of life's little lessons walloped me hard upside the noggin. To explain, I must reflect back a spell.

When I was a young teen I spent a lot of quality time with my Uncle George in New Mexico. Quite often we would drive into the mountains as far as we could go pulling a horse trailer behind us. We would then organize our gear, saddle our mounts, and spend anywhere from seven to fifteen days rough-riding and camping among nature's awesome beauty.

One lesson that I quickly learned started on day one. After riding fifteen or so miles, my first thought was to pull my abused buttocks from that hard saddle, get a good hot fire going and cook up piles and piles of grub. As a teen I was always starving, usually within an hour after any meal.

But that was not to be. The moment my feet hit solid ground my Uncle remarked; "Boy, the first thing you always do is take care of your horse."

He was deadly serious about it too. After my horse was unsaddled, fed, wiped down, watered, and hobbled, I could then start the grub.

"Take care of your horse and he'll take care of you," My Uncle George admonished. "Back in the old days a man who didn't take care of his mount often learned the hard way, either he was scalped by hostiles or killed by the elements."

After many trips into the majestic but unforgiving mountains, his advice became second nature and I ALWAYS took care of my horse first. This advice subsequently overflowed into my every day life and I took it to heart when I started driving my old iron horse, a horse of a different color.

My family will testify to the fact that on long trips when we stop for a rest break or for munchies, I always take care of the family vehicle first. After our car is filled with gas, fluids checked, tires checked, maybe windows cleaned, we can then head for the feeding trough... never before!

When my truck (I call him Maximus), started overheating last Wednesday, I realized I haven't been livin' by my learnin' and hadn't checked the antifreeze or water. Ole Maximus started heatin' up, snorting, and got right angry at me on account of my sorry lack of maintenance.

Right then and there I pledged to pay more attention to life's lessons.

Then I got to thinking (a scary idea me thinking), that this lesson needs to be applied to other things in my life too.

Now, I talk to God every morning and often throughout the day. I try to walk-the-walk as well as talk-the-talk, but there are times when I simply forget to take care of my horse. (My late Uncle George would be shakin' his head right about now).

For example (I thought), when is the last time I told my wife I loved her? How long ago was it that I bought her flowers, kissed her, complimented her? How often do I pass out a kind word to a stranger. After all, strangers are only friends we haven't met yet.

Have I been charging through my daily routine like a robot, cruising through life on automatic, unconcerned with the world surrounding me?

My final decision was that it is well past time I got down off my horse and done some serious life style maintenance.

My wife was surprised by the dozen roses I brought home and I sure felt good seeing the bright smile on her face.