“You don’t throw a whole life away just ’cause it’s banged up a little.”
That quote from the book and movie ‘Seabiscuit’ seems profoundly true only when you’ve lived a little and learned a bit about the grace required to truly love a human being. Not on a singular, individual plane – everyone can do that; it’s not a stretch to find at least one person to love in this world. I’m talking on a universal level – a love for humanity, for the whole lot of humans, even the ones who seem the least lovable. It’s hard to love all our fellow humans on that general level, and the ones who are banged up tend to be the ones who are left to fend for themselves, human nature not being remarkably gracious these days.
That’s not the way I intended this post to go, but sometimes a quote takes you places you don’t intend or expect, and in my lived experience it’s better to allow those nudges to guide you, especially when you’re not quite sure what to say or do. And in a way, it does come back to the fringe element of being a cowboy that spurred this post and the jacket as featured here, because kindness and compassion seem to be in the minority right now, at least judging from the actions of those who hold power… for the moment.
Choosing to live on the fringe of society, on that edge area of what’s acceptable, is the choice of many a cowboy. It’s not a choice made in service of being so seemingly contrary for the sake of being contrary, but rather for the purpose of the cowboy being true to himself. Existing on the fringe is something many of us feel at one point or another, particularly if you’re a member of a minority group of some kind. Being ever in danger of slipping outside the tried and traditional builds a kind of fortitude – a certain courage and power that those who have never skirted the edge can know.
The power of the fringe element.
Stepping outside what society expects you to do.
Forging your own path even when it differs from everything and everyone you’ve ever known.
Standing alone at those times when no one else is brave enough to stand with you.
That’s the power of a real cowboy.
And real cowboys wear fringe like a badge of honor.
