Laugh When You Want to Cry

Last weekend, we visited some long-time friends in West Texas. Their father, a fourth-generation rancher, is in hospice care with emphysema and various other conditions. He looks like a man who has spent most of his life outdoors. He has a weathered face, calloused hands, and a crew cut of salt and pepper hair. He knows each cow by their number, name and personality, and just a few weeks ago, had to out-maneuver a crazy bull that charged him. His wife of almost 50 years is a charmer with a deep Texas accent, pink lipstick and a hearty laugh. When my husband first brought me out to their ranch about 16 years ago, I wasn't sure what to expect. But the family welcomed me with big hugs and smiles. And much to my relief, they didn't make me clear acres of mesquite and tag cattle.

What started out as a core group of college guys at the ranch, has expanded over the years to include spouses, kids and now, the kids' boyfriends/girlfriends or spouses. It has become a great place for us city folk to escape our routines for the open sky, dry dirt and smell of burning mesquite in an open fire pit. Kids have learned to drive out there, shoot a rifle, tend cattle, and how to entertain themselves without a Game Boy or Wii system.

As the dad struggled to breathe last weekend, I thought about his life and how much he has meant to our family. He always speaks his mind, and sometimes it isn't exactly what the guys want to hear. He also has a wicked sense of humor. Even last Saturday as his son leaned in to say something, the dad looked cleared-eye at him, raised his left hand and flipped off his son. Then, he pulled down his oxygen mask, looked at my husband and asked, "when is TCU going to get a good football team?" Talk quickly turned to Friday Night Lights football talk and I made a hasty exit knowing I couldn't possibly add any value to the conversation.

As of this writing, he is still with us.  I hope his family finds comfort in each other and their friends. Each of us in the group has lost a parent and are quickly realizing that we are now becoming the older generation. Just wondering, does life get any easier with age?

The Wondering Texan