Before we all had cars, people would travel on horseback or by wagon, even on foot. Yes that limited their range of travel and what they could take with them. It also had some wonderful side benefits. Not the least of which was time to think and learn.
Last week my good friend Wade Hudson introduced me to Cary Joe Needham, a rodeo champion and full-time cowboy. Wade lives near Cary’s ranch and arranged for me to stop by for a casual ride. Since moving to Texas I have done many Texas-specific activities but not riding…yet. So Wade helped me check yet another item off of my Texas “bucket list”.
When I moved to Texas after 37 years in Southern California, I came here to BECOME at Texan. I did not bring my California mindset and lifestyle with me. Growing up originally in Arkansas, I always thought of the Texans as the “cool kids.” They had more horses, cattle, rodeos, cowboys, ranches and cacti than Arkansas. So Texas was like the Western Heroes I watched each weekend in movies and on TV.
I bought a few books about Texas, scoured the many “about Texas” websites and created a great list of things to do and see in order to become a Texan. In a few years I had a track record that included the Texas State Fair, floating the San Marcos River, singing around a bonfire at a ranch, hunting wild boar, getting my “license to carry” permit, performing a song or two at various famous Honky Tonks, kayaking Lake Austin, serving in the Army at Fort Sam Houston, spending my honeymoon in Dallas, going to Six Flags Over Texas, speaking at the Texas Small Business Festival, meeting with the Governor’s staff in the Capitol building, performing with a local band in small town Wharton, staying with friends at various ranches, riding my motorcycle over thousands of miles of Hill Country roads, going to Luckenbach and singing in the saloon, performing at BBQ festivals and car shows, visiting The Alamo, hiring the Lone Star Riverboat for my Experts Summit event, giving speeches on campus at the University of Texas, attending UT Football games, basketball games, volleyball and more. I also went to Friday Night local football and baseball games, met with long time locals, went to see the Austin FC soccer games, joined the University of Texas Golf Club, watch the sunset at The Oasis on Lake Travis, gave a speech in the Houston Astrodome, hosted a TV show on PBS Dallas. I really got into Texas!
Wade’s mom, Bodie saw a robust post about my Texas activity on Facebook and took it to the Texas House of Representatives, the honorable Carrie Isaac, who had me officially declared a “True Texan.” Bodie and her sisters presented me with a flag that had flown over the state capitol along with a handsome certificate that included the comment, “Texas is Proud of You!” Wow! What wonderful friends the Hudson and Kyle Families have been to me.
Now back to my main point. With all this activity over many years of my life, you would think that I didn’t have much time to just relax and think. Not true, I have intentionally made time to reflect, observe, listen, read and interact because I know that is where the value of experience will be. You see it’s not the information that comes into us that matters. What matters is how much of it goes through the quiet reflection process and ends up affecting our behavior. “If it’s not affecting your actions, it’s doubtful that you believe it.” I think Will Rogers said that.
If all we do is have experiences then we will be well worn. Like a rug that has been vacuumed a few too many times and is now threadbare. If all we do is read books, attend events, and take classes, we will have a lot of data traveling through our minds. But that data only sticks when we have some quiet “Saddle Time” to reflect on what it means to us. We need the long rides without the radio playing. We need long walks with friends or road trips where we are able to talk about everything in our heart and mind. We need space to allow the food to become nutrition. Otherwise your books just become “Shelf” help as decorations.
So, even in the brief time Wade and I rode together, we shared stories, memories, values and life lessons that made both of us better off. Maybe it’s time for you to take a ride or walk or road trip with a friend. You will be wiser when you do.
