Back Roads

I grew up in a family who loved to take the back roads. There are few things I enjoy doing more than driving down the red, dusty country roads of Oklahoma. My friends and I love to kick back, crank up the country music, roll down the windows, and simply cruise the countryside. Oklahoma is laid out in one-mile squares. Most of the back routes are dusty, gravel roads. The baby green colors of springtime and the miles of winter wheat fields nourish the soul. You can imagine the surprise we felt when, one day we stumbled upon literally miles of cattle fence posts topped with cowboy boots.

For as far as you could see in every direction, some ole’ farmer who obviously owned lots of land, had collected thousands and thousands of cowboy boots and turned them upside down on his fence posts. It was beyond our comprehension that someone could own that many boots. We set out to find out how one person could define his borders with boots.

After hours of driving, we arrived at what appeared to be the main ranch house for the Boot Ranch. Only a farm hand was at home. He explained the boot mystery.

His boss had a dream of putting boots on all his fence posts, so he started saving his old boots and those of his family. Pretty soon friends kicked in their old boots and even bought some from fleas markets and garage sales. Then the word spread to neighbors and on to total strangers. Within a very few years the old man’s land was bordered and cross-fenced with boots. To this day one can drive north to Logan County and cruise the red, dusty roads of Oklahoma. If you stay with it long enough, you’re bound to happen onto the Boot Ranch. Everyone who has ever seen the miles of boots on a fence has returned to add their old boots to the old farmer’s collection.

It's said that if we never dare to dream our own dreams, we will end up serving others in their dreams. Many years ago I was running in Ybor City, Florida. It was early morning. I had been told that Spanish guys really like blondes and it would be best if I didn’t look them in the face. I ran looking straight ahead. It was about eight miles into the run when I suddenly seemed to be walking across beautiful pastures with lots of families picnicking with their kids and dogs. I was walking through the crowd greeting people when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw another dark headed person also walking and greeting. It appeared that our paths gradually came together. I never saw the face of this person, but when we came together, we put our faces side-by-side for a moment and then continued greeting others, together. The touch was electric and calming at the same time. It was the most peaceful feeling of my young life. I spent the next forty years celebrating this special person and hoping that we would meet. This intimate connection became a central dream of my life. That dream is now a reality.

Have the courage to launch your dreams, and others will fall in line to support you. Simply awaken each day with gratitude and take one small step into the direction of your dreams fulfilled. And, if you’re ever in North Central Oklahoma, drive around the country side near Red Rock until you stumble upon the Boot Ranch. There, for as far as the eye can see, are fence posts topped with old dusty cowboy boots, the proof that even an old cowboy’s dreams come true.