If I Lived in Wyoming

This is a post I wrote for "1000 Pounds of Meat" (http://1000poundsofmeat.blogspot.com/). I don't have any followers of that blog so I'm doing an echo post on this blog (where perhaps someone will actually read my words).

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I grew up in Wyoming. The state is clean and pure. The populace consists of really good people. Most are friendly. Nearly all are honorable. Many have a great deal of pride.

If I lived in Wyoming I wouldn't be as concerned about having my car break down on some long lonely highway (and trust me, there is PLENTY of long lonely stretches of highway in Wyoming). If you break down on the road in Wyoming someone will stop and help you. It's that simple. It's simple because stopping to help is the right thing to do.

I remember one time at the top of Togwottee Pass I got a bit careless (I say it that way trying not to expose the utter stupidity of my action) and buried our car in a snowbank. In mere minutes I met a man with a pick-up truck and shortly after that we were attaching a chain from his hitch to the frame of my car. As he pulled me out of the ditch he asked me about what happened and I told him the story. He looked at my shirt (which proudly announced me as "a Wyoming Native") for a moment and then his eyes met mine.

"Well buddy, I'm happy to help you out" he explained and then went on "but I'm a bit embarrassed to see you wearing that shirt".

People from Wyoming typically speak the simple, basic truth. My wife (who insisted I not do what ultimately put the car in the snow bank) and I often fondly remember that day and the unknown man from Wyoming.

If I lived in Wyoming I would want to be just like him.

If I lived in Wyoming I would have a great deal of pride about my state and the people who call it home. I would hold my head high knowing I lived in a state where we respect those around us.

If I lived in Wyoming I would be surrounded by people who work an honest day, aren't shy about standing up for what we believe in, and never stood so tall that we can't reach down to give a hand to those in need.

If I lived in Wyoming I would be pretty much convinced that I was surrounded by folks who could outperform just about ANY Texan.

If I lived in Wyoming and learned that the Texans were currently 82.5 pounds of meat ahead of the folks from my state in food pantry donations it would really bother me.

If I lived in Wyoming I expect I would be doing something about that. I sure would.