Leaving a Legacy

Some moments simply leave your mouth absent of words, your eyes filled with warm tears and your heart so full of love and pride. When those moments come, you make note of every detail in that capsule of time.

My grandfather, Clarence Barron "C.B." Rich was recently inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame this month in Great Falls. I have written about my grandpa in the past and shared how he impacted my insignificant, little life but to witness what it means to really leave a legacy behind for another generation to nurture and care for as their own is priceless.

He was one of thirty-five inductees, living and legacy, to be honored at this year's ceremonies. How a committee narrows down a group of thirty-five cowboys from all of those spread out over the years in Montana is baffling, because as I sat there and listened to the names being read and the story behind each cowboy or cowgirl, I thought how extremely lucky I was to be in the company of these fine inductees and those that came to honor them.

The stories shared were truly etched from the pages of Montana and western history; stories from train robbery attempts and assisting outlaws to carving out an honorable life from the harsh and formidable landscapes we now take for granted. Underneath every Stetson hat in that room, was a true and honorable cowboy or cowgirl. And somehow, I was lucky enough to be connected to this amazing moment in time.

I looked around the solarium full of people, close to probably five hundred and with each name read from the inductee list, there was a family member or friend there to receive the award. There was a deep pride each one felt hearing their inductee being named, the standing ovations and the well-deserved applause for those known and not known, for their accomplishments and attributions to the community we call "cowboy".

There were bronc stompers, ropers, farmers and ranchers, cattlemen and women, teamsters, outfitters, outlaws, horse trainers, artists, authors and poets, rodeo competitors and livestock entrepreneurs, all being honored. They were, and are all "cowboy", and all darn sure legendary.

Their stories were significant, entertaining, and different but the commonality was all of these people were and are, tough as a new bride's biscuits. They tended livestock in the worst of weather, they cut trails, built barns, rode rough horses and in even rougher country, all in the name of providing for a family, a community and a country.

Their purpose was strong, bold and etched out of crusted sweat on their brows and calluses on their weathered hands. Not a one of them missed the mark on work ethic and values. They all knew what it meant to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

They loved their families and communities and fought for their country and our freedom. They had grit, true grit, in their guts and steel in their veins.

I observed the younger generation looking on in the room and wondered if any felt like I did? Will generations yet to come understand what it took for their ancestors and loved ones to build their legacies, their homesteads, ranches and hard-earned dreams? Better yet, will they even care? Will they know to look up from their mobile devices and televisions and work at a back-breaking speed to beat a storm?

Does our current culture and warped society give a damn about such things anymore?

Do they care about pulling calves in a March snowstorm?

Will they know the exhilarating feeling of throwing a leg over a fresh colt or to climb a mountain pass and blaze a new trail over rugged miles of rocks and trees?

Will they know the art of carving life out of a Charlie Russell landscape?

Will they appreciate the hue of the prairie sunrises and sunsets as they glance at the coulees and breaks?

Will they be inspired to do more and be more?

I hope so. These people leave an amazing legacy to carry and pass on down the line. They take so much knowledge and history with them when they go and they leave big boots to fill.

I am honored to be a part of such a life and I hope that I am able to do more than ride along on the coattails of my grandpa's legacy. Because it's about time I made my own...

Happy Trails~