“Youth are the future of the world.”
What children learn during their growing years is foundation for coming generations.
First responsibility goes to parents. It is so obvious to see and hear how young people grow up to be like Dad and Mom. Their home life goes far beyond immediate family.
Having been well acquainted with a number of families for several generations their heritage becomes very apparent. Besides resemblance in looks, boys and girls most often walk, talk and have mannerisms making it obvious their family background.
Even second and third generations can frequently be recognized as members of certain families. If pedigrees of livestock production are as important to selection as proclaimed, family heritage is no different.
Good characteristics carry from one generation to the next along with the undesirable traits.
An opinion or philosophy of a grandparent, some even long gone, many times continues in their distant relatives.
Beyond close family relatives, everybody around youth today has an influence on what they become and can often be traced decades later. Of course, this includes school teachers, family acquaintances and everybody they meet on the street.
Cowboys have always been personal heroes and mental pictures of many come readily to mind in a very positive reflection.
While name of every horse in the pasture can’t be remembered, those ridden by cowboy friends of years ago are easily recalled. The cowboys and their horses left a positive impact that has remained for a lifetime.
Today there is ready opportunity to pass along everything good about horses and horse people to the present youth generation.
Horse shows and junior rodeos are attracting record numbers of youth participants riding horses with enthusiasm.
Divided into age groups to increase fairness of competition, every division has large numbers of contestants. More than two dozen little cowboys and cowgirls on their very special horses are in a couple of divisions.
Yes, so many young riders participating at a slower pace than adult competitors, the shows are taking longer. That doesn’t matter seeing the big grins verifying total enjoyment everyone is having.
Heartwarming, like 60 years ago, they all know the old cowboy and his horses engagingly outgoing to be friends. Hopefully there’s always positive inspiration.
Reminded of Proverbs 11:11: “The good influence of others causes the world to prosper.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
XIV–34–8-23-2020