I really screwed up yesterday

[Rocky7]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

And your girl will be so happy you gave it up for her.

That'd be a mistake, IMO.

Give it up or not - but it's on you.

[oldgutpile]

Chris Self was working for me on a crew at the time of his death. His whole family worked out at the Lakeside facility in Brooks. I had the misfortune of witnessing the devastation on his family due to his untimely death. Its not about the chances you take, but how it effects those you leave behind as well.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Rocky7

That'd be a mistake, IMO.

Give it up or not - but it's on you.

Lemme clarify. I didn't mean "It's your fault I gave it up." I meant "Being here for you is more important to me than doing that". Obviously he's going to take responsibility for the decision.

[Shaggy]

It's not at all what I would be giving up, it's about what I would be taking away from my family. A gold buckle can't tuck my daughter in at night.

[Yéil]

I used to race bikes... GP Open 750 class. I used to race yachts. I used to 3 day Event, I used to hunt on my own, I used to dance, I used to do all sorts of things that ended in me wearing a cast or in pain for weeks while I healed up. I crashed my bikes, took a fair amount of jibs it the head, fell off my horses, fell down a mountain chasing a dall and had a hell of a time doing fun stuff.


Then I had my kid.

It's not about giving something up to test whether you are a good parent or not, it's about recognizing that all that stuff you did in your glory days was about learning who you were so that you could be a better parent/person. If you can teach your child to love their life as much as you lived yours (and I certainly love my life - the then, the now and looking forward to the future) then all those bumps, bangs and gosh-darns-got-to-get-up-and-try-agains were worth it. Saying goodbye to them so that you can teach your kid what it really means to love life is so worth the momentary ache that you'll feel when you see someone else doing something what you don't do anymore. The ache for those glory days goes away when you watch your child taking that first jump or doing a little happy dance on the podium when they win or even place because you taught them to enjoy each and every moment that comes their way.

You'll discover that your new hobby is being your child's mentor and sage. All that life you got to live, is all yours now to show your child what their love of life can be like.

[doetracks]

Shaggy. good call.

I used to raise rodeo bulls in the U.S. for a short time (one of our "stars" was a Mossyoak Mudslinger baby out of a Dark Shadows dam). My ex was a bullrider (retired).

He could name an injury for every year he rode. From dislocations to fractures to facial reconstruction....

Your family is important.

There's always team roping

[FishingMOM]

Shaggy,

You will have way more fun playing with the kids for the rest of their lives and your life.

Bet your wife is happy you decided to retire the spurs.

Just think less time recovering from injuries equals more time fishing and hunting. I bet your daughter would love to hunt with you. We already know she is a good perch whacker!

[Shaggy]

MO Mudslinger was always my dream bull. If I could get a make a wish foundation, it would be to get on him. I even used him as inspiration in my company logo. His silouette in front of a derrick with a gold buckle in the background. He was always double rank, but honest.

Team roping?? Not likely. Damn timeys.

We'll just keep stopping pucks and going fishing and we will be good.

She was funny at hockey this weekend. Pre game warmup we had the ice to ourselves for a while. She asked me to take some long shots at her as hard as I could. So I stood at center ice at rifled a few at her. She would not get out of the way. Took one up the stick and off the helmet and laughed about it. I think a couple shots slid her back a foot or two when she stopped them.

If anything, I don't want to miss her hockey career.

[doetracks]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Team roping?? Not likely. Damn timeys.

[Canadiandiesel]

i finished rodeo when my knee blew out, its not a pretty sight when you try walking and your leg below the knee falls to the left or right, instead of its proper movements.

however i still play with the lasso, nothing professional, just throw a few and have a little fun.

[ginnz]

I raced dirt bikes in my youth, managed to place 2'cnd in our provincials...... anyways, 20 years later, im barely able to play with my son! back is screwed up, top and bottom.... left knee is barely operational, and my left shoulder is good for fak all.... Im glad i can do with him, what i can. but there are many days i say i can't. mornings are horrible. takes me 40 minutes to get mobile..... i'm 43 and walk like an 80 year old man. when your young, you think your invincible, I found that feeling went away pretty dang quick!

Enjoy your daughter and give her all the time you can, it slips away fast!

[Elkhunt]

Originally Posted by Squeeker

^^^Bingo!!!^^^

I would go out on a limb and say that there are lots of guys finding themselves in your kinda situation these days, myself included. A blown out lumbar back finally slowed me down enough to have an epiphany. It kinda slams a person in the chest when you start to think about all those super wild things that we used to do and all the glorious conquests of our fearless and consequence free youth and how things for our families would be affected now if we were to get hurt and perish while we were doing something wild and crazy that we loved to do and are passionate about, but are inherently dangerous activites like bull riding or maybe skiing down that crazy steep and narrow mountain chute above a 50' cliff in avalanche country or bowhunting grizzlies from the ground etc. Thinking about the repercussions took the fun out of certain 'extreme' activities for me and replaced it with worry and guilt about the "what-if's"... Glory and stories last forever anyway man, but time with our kids is absolutely priceless especially these days. Thanks for the post! -SQK

Double Bingo

[Big Daddy Badger]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

That should be framed and hung on the wall. Well said.

Pesky, you old softie!

Shhhhh... we don't want that getting around.

Actually... it's just the voice of a wretch that wasn't always there and wishes now that he could have a redo.
I missed about half of my kids lives when they were growing up.

Not much choice.
Duty... the thing that makes you hide your bags and sneak out the back door so you don't have to face a crying child that is so sure that this time... Daddys not coming home.

Love of family.... the thing that makes you wish that you were a better man than you are.

I'm close with my kids and they've never held it against me...but that makes it somehow worse.

Of all the things I've experienced in the service this is the only thing I will always regret.

I know I'm not alone in this...lots of men in the same sort of situation.

I just hate to see a man rob himself and his kid by choice.

On the up side...I'm sliding into retirement and too busted up and worn out for overseas anymore so...I do get a second chance in the form of my grand daughter. This time... I'm not going to waste it.

[albertacowboy]

How about easy ranch work on a well-broke and mature quarter horse?
When I can afford a horse again, he's going to be a nice, cowy , mature QH gelding that I can cut and ride herd with in safety. I've had enough wrecks on three-year-olds, and that doesn't even come close to what you were doing.

The cowboy bug is tough to give up, but a safer modification might be okay. Just my two cents.