The Wisdom of the Cowboys

Sometimes it is a wise thing to listen to those individuals who have had time to gather their thoughts into little short concepts. That is why I love the wisdom that is found in the Cowboys. It also might have something to do with the fact that I spent a summer working as a wrangler on a ranch in central Florida. Simply put, there is great wisdom and insight in what these old men have to share. I’m sure that as you read these you will find something that you can hang onto in your life. So in honor all those cowboys – real and imaginary – here are some of their wisdom:

If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.

When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.

Never miss a good chance to shut up.

If it ain't broken, don't reckon you need to worry bout fixin' it.

Never trust a man who agrees with you. He's probably wrong.

Talk low, talk slow and don't say too much.

If somebody outdraws you, smile and walk away. There's plenty of time to look tough when you're outta sight!

Don't squat with your spurs on.

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Always drink upstream from the herd.

Letting the cat out of the bag is a whole lot easier than putting it back in.

There's two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works.

Never drop your gun to hug a grizzly.

Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

Don't worry about biting off more than you can chew. Your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger than you think.

Like a good cowboy, a good hat just gets better as it gets older.

Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's good to know what it was.

It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

Go after life as if it's something that's got to be roped in a hurry before it gets away.

The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.

Never get up before breakfast. If you have to get up before breakfast, eat breakfast first.

Making it in life is kind of like busting broncos. You're going to get thrown a lot. The simple secret is to keep getting back on.

Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut.

When you're up to your nose in manure, keep your mouth shut.

And then finally there is this little bit of insightful spiritual wisdom from an Old Cowboy:

One Sunday morning, an old cowboy entered a church just before services were to begin. Although the old man and his clothes were spotlessly clean, he wore jeans, a denim shirt and boots that were worn and ragged. In his hand he carried a worn-out old hat and an equally worn, dog-eared Bible.

The church he entered was in a very upscale and exclusive part of the city. It was the largest and most beautiful church the old cowboy had ever seen. The people of the congregation were all dressed with expensive clothes and fine jewelry. As the cowboy took a seat, the others moved away from him. No one greeted, spoke to, or welcomed him. They were all appalled by his appearance and did not attempt to hide it.

As the old cowboy was leaving the church, the preacher approached him and asked the cowboy to do him a favor. "Before you come back in here again, have a talk with God and ask him what he thinks would be appropriate attire for worship in church." The old cowboy assured the preacher he would.

The next Sunday, he showed back up for the services wearing the same ragged jeans, shirt, boots, and hat. Once again he was completely shunned and ignored. The preacher approached the cowboy and said, "I thought I asked you to speak to God before you came back to our church."

"I did," replied the old cowboy.

"And what was his reply?" asked the preacher.

"Well, sir, God told me that he didn't have a clue what I should wear. He said he'd never been in this church."