General Non-Fiction posted January 11, 2019 |
Grandpa Was There For Me
Memories Of Who Raised Me Growing Up
by country ranch writer
Growing up back in my day was a give and take situation. My mamma always had my back and stood behind me in whatever I wanted to do. But mostly she turned my raising over to my grandpa, mostly because she figured I needed structure in my life. My dad was away from the ranch most of the time and no one knew when he'd be coming back. Grandpa was the father figure in my life I always looked up and went to whenever I had problems.
I was the typical tomboy when I was growing up. My mom used to tell everyone I was born with a horse attached to me is why she had so much pain when I was born. My grandpa understood me like no other person could. Horses were my life and you could find me in the saddle on any given day rain or shine.
I was good at whatever I set my mind to do and I made my mamma proud the day I graduated from high school. As usual dad didn't make it home for that either, but my grandpa was there proud as all get out. Dad's excuse was a working horse ranch was always under the microscope. He said, people were just waiting for you to fail, so they could come in and swoop up your land. He said he worked too hard to let it slip through his fingers at any cost.
I bought my first horse with the money I won in a school writing contest my friend dared me to enter.
I rode the rodeo circuit for a long time winning some losing some barrel racing and grandpa was always there. When he couldn't be there folks took me under their wing and made sure I got where I needed to be. They all respected my grandpa, he never met a stranger. I have always kept a journal of my life growing up and about my travels so when I grew older I would have my memories to fall back on. It is those memories I cherish the most in my life. He has taught me so much. He taught me how to survive in this world with little or nothing to get by on.
Over the years his training sure came in handy more ways than one.
Especially when I became injured and unable to get on a horse anymore his words came back to me. He said, it is what it is, and we have to make the most of it and live with what we have. We can't feel sorry for ourselves because it does no one any good. Life isn't through with you yet he'd say. Below is what happened to me.
We were riding out to the back forty checking on a new herd of mustangs when my horse got spooked by a rattler, and he went one way and I went another damaging my spinal cord. I never rode again, it was too risky because I could become paralyzed. It took me years to be able to walk again and live with the constant pain. My grandpa was right there with me never leaving my side. I have my memories, no regrets and I would do it all over again.
My grandpa has passed on now but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. He was my whole life.
Parenthood: An indelible memory writing prompt entry
Growing up back in my day was a give and take situation. My mamma always had my back and stood behind me in whatever I wanted to do. But mostly she turned my raising over to my grandpa, mostly because she figured I needed structure in my life. My dad was away from the ranch most of the time and no one knew when he'd be coming back. Grandpa was the father figure in my life I always looked up and went to whenever I had problems.
I was the typical tomboy when I was growing up. My mom used to tell everyone I was born with a horse attached to me is why she had so much pain when I was born. My grandpa understood me like no other person could. Horses were my life and you could find me in the saddle on any given day rain or shine.
I was good at whatever I set my mind to do and I made my mamma proud the day I graduated from high school. As usual dad didn't make it home for that either, but my grandpa was there proud as all get out. Dad's excuse was a working horse ranch was always under the microscope. He said, people were just waiting for you to fail, so they could come in and swoop up your land. He said he worked too hard to let it slip through his fingers at any cost.
I bought my first horse with the money I won in a school writing contest my friend dared me to enter.
I rode the rodeo circuit for a long time winning some losing some barrel racing and grandpa was always there. When he couldn't be there folks took me under their wing and made sure I got where I needed to be. They all respected my grandpa, he never met a stranger. I have always kept a journal of my life growing up and about my travels so when I grew older I would have my memories to fall back on. It is those memories I cherish the most in my life. He has taught me so much. He taught me how to survive in this world with little or nothing to get by on.
Over the years his training sure came in handy more ways than one.
Especially when I became injured and unable to get on a horse anymore his words came back to me. He said, it is what it is, and we have to make the most of it and live with what we have. We can't feel sorry for ourselves because it does no one any good. Life isn't through with you yet he'd say. Below is what happened to me.
We were riding out to the back forty checking on a new herd of mustangs when my horse got spooked by a rattler, and he went one way and I went another damaging my spinal cord. I never rode again, it was too risky because I could become paralyzed. It took me years to be able to walk again and live with the constant pain. My grandpa was right there with me never leaving my side. I have my memories, no regrets and I would do it all over again.
My grandpa has passed on now but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. He was my whole life.
I was the typical tomboy when I was growing up. My mom used to tell everyone I was born with a horse attached to me is why she had so much pain when I was born. My grandpa understood me like no other person could. Horses were my life and you could find me in the saddle on any given day rain or shine.
I was good at whatever I set my mind to do and I made my mamma proud the day I graduated from high school. As usual dad didn't make it home for that either, but my grandpa was there proud as all get out. Dad's excuse was a working horse ranch was always under the microscope. He said, people were just waiting for you to fail, so they could come in and swoop up your land. He said he worked too hard to let it slip through his fingers at any cost.
I bought my first horse with the money I won in a school writing contest my friend dared me to enter.
I rode the rodeo circuit for a long time winning some losing some barrel racing and grandpa was always there. When he couldn't be there folks took me under their wing and made sure I got where I needed to be. They all respected my grandpa, he never met a stranger. I have always kept a journal of my life growing up and about my travels so when I grew older I would have my memories to fall back on. It is those memories I cherish the most in my life. He has taught me so much. He taught me how to survive in this world with little or nothing to get by on.
Over the years his training sure came in handy more ways than one.
Especially when I became injured and unable to get on a horse anymore his words came back to me. He said, it is what it is, and we have to make the most of it and live with what we have. We can't feel sorry for ourselves because it does no one any good. Life isn't through with you yet he'd say. Below is what happened to me.
We were riding out to the back forty checking on a new herd of mustangs when my horse got spooked by a rattler, and he went one way and I went another damaging my spinal cord. I never rode again, it was too risky because I could become paralyzed. It took me years to be able to walk again and live with the constant pain. My grandpa was right there with me never leaving my side. I have my memories, no regrets and I would do it all over again.
My grandpa has passed on now but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him. He was my whole life.
Writing Prompt Describe a memory, a lesson taught or learned, or a moment shared that will stay with both parent and child forever. Prose only. No minimum or maximun word count. |
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