Dusty and the Cowboy

He slowly dismounted from the horse, and stood in the dust examining the trail. He’d been to Cowtown once or twice in his adult life, but it had been awhile. From this point, just across the river there were two well traveled ways to get there. There was also a lesser path, more dangerous in the steeps and falls, but the scenery was said to be spectacular.

It should have been an obvious choice, but his mind was full of other thoughts, and now and then his heart grew heavy. As a cowpoke, he was more than fair. He could ride and rope with the best of them. He was a natural at handling the livestock, and he could toss a steer without much trouble.

Dusty, his horse of many years, was getting older now. Gently, he rubbed its nose and offered up a chunk of salt, which was the horse’s favorite. Thinking still about the changes to the cowboy way, he knew that life had run its course. It was time to move on to what he would do next.

“Dear Lord, you have always guided my footsteps, whether I asked for help or not. Well, sir, now I’m askin’ for that help. Me and Dusty got a ways to go. But sure as I’m standin’ here, I’m in a ponder as to the best way to git there. Preacher man always says You got the way for us. Not that it’s the easiest way or even the way we’d take, given our own choosin’. But it’s the way we should be goin’.”

He looked down at the broad weathered hat in his hands. “Lord, show me that way.” With these thoughts on his mind, he mounted Dusty. Spurring the big horse, he gave it free reign. A notion came to let Dusty pick the path. After all, we’re all God’s creatures. Maybe Dusty knew the answers that today he did not.

From his vest pocket, the cowboy pulled a sheet of tattered paper, folded and creased with wear. Neat ink lettering penned long ago, was barely legible now from calloused fingers touching it so many times. “Preacher man said these words might help,” he told Dusty. “It’s from Revelation. ‘For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.’”

In response, Dusty nickered once over his shoulder. Then he bobbed his head, and began to trot down the trail in long, easy strides.

Their journey had begun.