A Cowboy’s word is a bond. Think about that in the context of today’s culture. How often do we look up to our idols, icons and leaders to find they say one thing and do another? It is yet another form of cultural deceit. ‘I tell you what I think I should; or what I think you want to hear’; but that doesn’t necessarily translate into what I do. Until I get caught. If I get caught, I apologize, cry, plead forgiveness, I made a mistake. The mistake of course is getting caught.

We see this sort of behavior time and again from celebrities, politicians, athletes and all manner of media figures. What are young people learning from idols, icons and leaders who engage in such behavior? Words don’t matter? Deceit and hypocrisy are acceptable as long as you get away with it? Where are the heroes who say what they mean and mean what they say? Where do we find stand-up role models who look you in the eye, shake your hand and give you a word you can depend on? Imagine a world with a little more of that. We’d all be better off . . . well maybe not trial lawyers.

Instinctively we still admire that brand of heroism we call trustworthiness when we encounter it. We just don’t encounter it as often as we once did. Neither do our young people. Where do they learn the value of making their word matter? Maybe we should let a bit of the cowboy code rub off on them by making our word a bond.

Popular culture comes and popular culture goes, but the cowboy way of doing things never goes out of style. There’s a little cowboy in all of us. The cowboy code helps us show it.

1. Cowboys Tell the Truth
2. A Cowboy’s Word is a Bond

Next Week: Cowboys Play by the Rules
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Ride easy,
Paul