Cowboys, Cowgirls and Buckaroos

This is to all my Grandchildren, Grand-nieces, Grand-nephews, and cousins out there.

I think that ALL of you, each and every one of you, are GRAND, and I Love You All, Since You are not just down the road from me. I thought I would let you in on some things to think about.

You are all special and unique, each in your own way. There is nothing that you can not do, if you set your mind to it, and do not let anyone tell you that you can not.

When I was young my Mom and Dad always told me, “You can do anything you set your minds to.” They would also tell me to do the best I could in school. But being me, I did not always put these two pieces of advice together.

Learning in school is important, especially reading and writing, Think for a moment. What if you could not read. how could you understand the instruction for your Math, and Science, not to mention the wonderful worlds of Geometry and Algebra.

Try to understand what the your teachers, and your parents are trying to teach you. If you open your mind to the subject at hand, you can understand the idea, and principles being expressed. Then it all becomes easy and more fun.

Never be afraid to ask a question, because you think you will sound silly. I have found, even when I hesitated a bit, that when I asked a question in class, as silly and dumb as I thought it might have been, there usually was someone else, who also wanted to know the answer too.

Just because other kids are doing it, does not make it right. So, stop, and listen to yourself. Remember, what Jimmy the Cricket said, “Let your conscious be your guide.” Your Conscious is like a voice inside your head and it usually repeating what your Mom or Dad has told you. It usually lets you know if what you are thinking is wrong or right.

My Dad always said, “If you are not going to do something right in the first place, then do not do it at all.” What he really was saying, was for me to stop, and think about what I was going to do. I needed to make sure I knew what I was doing, and how I was going to go about doing it.

I remember some times after doing something I had not thought through, that my Mom or Dad would ask, “Loyd Michael, why on earth would you do such a thing.” They always called me Loyd Michael, instead of Mike, when they were upset at me. I would answer by saying something like, “Well Billy Bob did it.” Then they would say, “Well if Billy Bob jumped off a bridge, I guess you would too.” Except for bungee jumping, I suppose I would not. But what they were really saying was, that just because someone else is doing it, does not always make it right, or safe for that matter.

Lies will get you in trouble, so do not lie. I found out the hard way, that one lie usually leads to another, and then to another. Before I knew it, I did not know what I said in the first place. So I learned that is better to tell the truth, and except the responsibility of your actions. Remember “Honesty is the best Policy.”

We are animals, really. We breath in oxygen, and breath out carbon dioxide. Plants, like trees and bushes and such, breath in carbon dioxide and breath out oxygen. So animals, and the plants help each other live. Therefore it is simple, we should take care of our environment, so it can take care of us.

We should respect our parents, our brothers and sisters, and care for each other. Always remember the golden rule, “To do unto others as they would have others do unto them.” An easy way to think about this is to pretend you are the other person and think about how you would feel.

I have seen that most people, no matter what race, religion, or country they live in, just want to be able to care of their family and children, by having a means to do so. All kids play, laugh and smile just like you, and your friends do.

When I do find it difficult to understand some of the uglier things in this world around me. I would find myself asking, “Why would God let this happen?” Well I have discovered, that after closer examination, that it is not God, but mankind, that has caused the problems we have in this world.

I know there are probably many other things I could say to you all, but they escape me right now, as the gears in my mind slip a bit these days, but I hope what I have said here may help you.

Be Careful Out There.

’til I Knock on Your Door ( or you mine)
I Love You,

Grandpa, Uncle, and Cousin
Mike

© Texas Tortilla Factory 2006