Ripple effect of tradgety

In church this morning, one of the ranchers asked for prayers for a friend of his. This friend is another rancher in the area, and had suffered a freak accident. Long story short, this man was bucked off his horse, and is now paralyzed from the shoulders down. He has started to gain a little movement in his hands and arms, but.... Listening to the words the rancher said and didn't say, there was so much - pain that this had happened to his friend, and awareness that this type of thing could happen to any rancher, at any time. Not said was the concern that it could happen to him, and concern for his family if something similar happened. I also picked up a bit of relief that this friend has a son, who is ranching with him. The son is only 25, and has small children of his own. But there was also relief that the friends ranch will be OK - someone to run it.

Concern for the ranch, and it makes sense to me to extend that concern to all the ranches in the area. Concern over loosing a ranch for what ever reason? And then concern over being able to safely transition his own ranch to his son, who indicates that ranching is what he wants to do. Preservation of their way of life? And if the ranches, one by one, are lost, do we all lose? Probably.

I've only lived in this rural community for about 5 years, having moved from the big city. The more I learn about this life, the more I respect it. This is a community, the way a community is suppose to be. Concern for your neighbor, love of the land. Stewardship and caring. I have a growing admiration for the ranchers in the area. They live their lives, knowing what dangers are present, but doing what needs to be done. Doing what they love to do. And safe guarding their way of life.

I'm sure there are many lessons in this for me. Both obvious, and the not so obvious. Do what you want to do. Face your fears, and move forward. Plan for the future, but trust in God's plan for you when your plan go awry. And that we are stronger together than by ourselves.