Words of Encouragement

Several incidents during my 30 years on the I Lazy D Ranch stayed with me as I aged and became commitments I try to live by. Whether in words or deeds, I witnessed important principles from various members of my family that became the building blocks of my own intellectual growth and maturity.

I describe many of those experiences in my new memoir, A Sometimes Paradise. In my upcoming blogs, I’ll share a few of them with you, along with their impact on me and how they carried meaning toward life goals.

When I was a young boy, I idolized my grandfather Kirk. He managed the ranch then, and my brother, cousins, and I saw ourselves as his crew. He called me his “pardner.”

Through a series of painful events, he taught me to always forgive those you love. No matter how unpleasant a situation becomes, family is the most valuable resource in life. This truth is the building block for personal growth.

It is not always easy, and sometimes it seems unattainable. Sometimes it takes a long time to achieve. But it is a goal to strive for, and that target helped me focus my attention many times. I hope this post can help some of you who may be dealing with similar situations.