May 4, 2013: Bootless in Texas

A little birdie I met on my morning power walk

I own four pairs of cowboy boots. And I packed none of them for my trip; regrettable so. I pictured all four boxes in my closet this morning as I dressed for the day. The brown pair with tassels (hand-me-downs from my mom) would have been perfect with my green shorts. Regret. I made due with wedges.

I thought about my cowboy boots resting in cold Nebraska as I walked the warm Texas terrain. They would have felt right at home. Although tempting to buy a new pair, five pairs was sounding a bit excessive; even for a avid boot collector like me.

As anticipated, Mark picked us up in his Texas truck. The three of us share the common trait of enjoying little day trips and adventures. Mark took us to different cities bordering Dallas, over the many vast overpasses, and through the many school districts. Working for the South Dallas district, he showed us the rough area covered on this side of town. His stories were heart-wrenching.

Garrett and I later reflected on how these kids could even stood a chance given their surroundings and the socioeconomic culture they live. It was a wake-up call to the cushy lives our children live. They really don't have a clue on true difficulties in life. And we have enabled this attitude.

A friend recently posted a quote on FB that got my attention. "Children who have everything, appreciate nothing." This is so true. The solution to the kids who have everything is easy. Stop giving them everything. But what about the kids who have nothing?

After some great conversation on the problems, but with no solutions, we finished our day with some great barbecue at local favorite, Peggy Sue's. We then took in the Iron Man movie in 3D. For those who have seen it...yes, Robert and Gwyneth were as spectacular as always. But what about Ben Kingsley??

Time to close and go night-night as our trip winds down to the final day. I did just sneak into the hotel hot tub and enjoyed a Shiner Bock (Texas original). As I enjoyed the stars on this clear Texan night, I reminded myself that I would be enjoying these same stars as I sit in my own hot tub back home. Until Monday at noon, it is all Texas though.