He loves that damned old rodeo

 

 Here are a couple of cowboy songs sung by George Strait that I think may help explain what it is about cowboys that makes me so fond of them.  It's a certain humble independence,  a determination to do what they want to do even if it costs them so much, spiritually, physically and monetarily.  It's just what they have to do.

It may seem strange, sometimes it does even to myself, that of all the places I've been and lived, all the things I've seen and done, the education I've had, the career, I find myself just so happy to be driving down a dirt ranch road in a beat-up old Ford 4X4 F-350 with winches front and rear, the windows rolled down, the smells of grass and sunshine and cows washing over me, and then the local C&W music-and-ranch-news radio station spins a George Strait platter.  I turn the radio up and sing along with all my heart.  Sometimes tears fill my eyes.  Sometimes my vision blurs so much that I have to stop. I lean my head on the steering wheel and cry. I don't why.  I just do.  I'm such a goof.

 

 And here's Judy Collins singing about a girl in love with a cowboy.  I know what that's like.  And it's just fine.  For a time.  I sing along with this song like I know the guy she's talking about.  Maybe at one time I did.  Maybe I did.