Tough

Pony Express Rides Again

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Tough, Vanity Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey Kids,ponyexpress

Apparently I chose the wrong anniversary to celebrate when it came to the Pony Express. I marked the 155th anniversary of the mail leaving St. Joseph, Missouri and Google celebrated the 155th Anniversary of those same letters arriving in San Francisco. It’s OK, I’ll enjoy it twice.

I know I eluded to in my post on April 3rd, but today I heard it stated as clear as it could be.

I mentioned that I wonder if I would have had, or if I have, the grit to be a rider. Today I heard it remarked that the biggest reason that the Pony Express Legacy lives on, is because deep down inside, we all wish we had done it.

Yessir, I do. I wish I had done it. I’m afraid I wouldn’t have, but I wish I had. One day, up there, when we’re all sitting around talking of our earth days, I’m going to hunt down one of those riders and listen to his stories and live the experience by proxy.

In Heaven?

I know that some of these fellas may have been a little rough around the edges, but if my God is who I hope he is, Pony Express riders will have a free pass into heaven, just for the hell of it all.

 

Day 50

The Wild Westerners

mikemjensen Porter Rockwell, Tough, Vanity Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hey kids,

History of the West doesn’t exaggerate in the description of how tough guys were.

Doc Holiday.kit-carsons-horseback-duel

Wyatt Earp.

Kit Carson.

Bill Hitchcock.

Buffalo Bill.

They and many others were the real deal.

I know there are stories stretched and stories made up. But the whole of the thing is that you had to be tough to make it then. And even more so to be thought “Tough” back then.

As a writer of a famed western bad-ass, and reading stories of many of these tough guys of the past, I often wonder how I would stack up against those times.

Don’t say anything. I’d like to live with my delusions.

**Picture borrowed from True West Magazine**

Day 28

Tough

mikemjensen Life's Truths, Tough Tags: , Leave a comment

Hey Kids!

It’s Thursday and I know that I set a schedule for posting but I no longer remember what that schedule is. So whether I’m supposed to be doing this for today or for tomorrow, I really don’t remember. Anyway what is scheduled but things that structure our lives? And who wants that??

It’s OK to be tough. I think it needs to be said. Maybe I’m old school. No. I am old school. I like tough. I respect tough. I expect tough. I despise non-tough.

There are a multiple ways to be tough. It isn’t just all muscle bound stuff either. Mental tough. Emotional tough. Head tough. It’s all good and when we get down to it, it’s really the only thing to be and be respected. No one likes weak. We tolerate weak on one aspect, so long as tough is displayed or available on another.

Be the hardest working person in the room. Be the first to working. Be the most dependable. Be the most honest. Be the first to offer help. Offer the most help. Be the most supportive. Be the most caring. If you notice, it IS a competition. Be the most, first, best, etc. And if not the first, best, strongest, fastest- be the most gracious.

Tough is not being passive. Tough is about being you and the best, the real best, that you can be.

Be tough, kids. Find your strength. You will never regret it.