Every time I get the chance to be freed from my responsibilities in West Ridge Academy, I immediately head down to my ranch to indulge my childhood dream in becoming a cowboy. Whether it was midlife crisis or a moment of weakness, I decided to purchase a working cattle ranch a few years ago. Along with that purchase came a multitude of problems which I hadn't anticipated: wandering bulls grazing on my neighbor's field, broken wheel lines, calving at 3 a.m. in absolutely frigid consitions, repairing fences, broken hydraulic lines on my tractor, flat tires, and even more flat tires. But even with all these challenges, I would still say that the whole experience has been very rewarding indeed. One of the rewards is the chance to work with several true-blooded cowboys. We're talking the real deal here - boots, hats, scarves, and all the different mustache variations. However, it isn't their attire that actually impresses me the most. Its their character, their work ethic, and the code by which they conduct themselves. In James Owen's book, he mentions this unwritten law as "The Code of the West.

It is this law or code that makes cowboys stand out as a symbol of American culture and values. It's based on a culture of perseverance, hard work, and resourcefulness. It's a code of honor where a handshake is your bond and putting others' welfare first before your own. It is a life where you embrace the idea that helping others finish what they have started is as important as finishing what you have started yourself. Here in West Ridge Academy, we are committed towards instilling these same ideals for ourselves and for our students.

Several years ago, there was this young man that was brought to our attention because of heavy drugs and alcohol use. His grades were very low and he harbored much contempt against the world. His parents were perplexed as to what could have brought about this transformation in their once very lovable child. They valiantly fought to regain their son from the clutches of addiction by introducing him to different treatments, but each of them only seemed to have made things even worse. While listening intently to what the parents and the boy were saying, our therapist came to the sudden conclusion that he realized what went wrong, based on their stories. Until finally, our therapist was able to talk to the young man one-on-one, where he told him that he knew what had happened and that he knew that the young man was molested, and that he was going to help him go through all the pain and guide him to become the man that he is intended to be.

The therapist immediately called his parents and told them to come in quicklythat they had some urgent things to discuss. The parents arrived within 30 minutes and immediately sat with their son in the therapist's office. While he was telling them about the unfortunate incident, the parents lovingly wrapped their son in their arms in a show of support. Very few words were spoken during the next 30 minutes but much was said. The love and compassion that the young man felt at that particular time was so strong that it left a huge imression upon him. At that moment, he realized that he was actually loved and that he was safe in the comfort knowing that he won't be alone in all his suffering.

The next two years were not necessarily easy for the family. The perpetrator got 40 years in the junk for his crime, but the young man and his family were forced to work through all kinds of adversities and fight to keep their family together. Fortunately, they were able to identify what went wrong with their son early on, so now it's possible for them to look at the future with a more positive light. They were able to regain the inherent goodness in their son before the problem could have gotten worse and completely derailed his future.

"The Code of the West" is a timeless code which encompasses all gender, creed and nationalities, which we could all use to improve our own lives starting today. Most of us may never get the chance to witness the birth of a newborn calf at 3 a.m. on a freezing night, but still the same, living a meaningful life has to be a constant decision which takes up a lot of courage and hard work. Setting a high moral code and ethical standards in the way that we live our lives and we run our families require follow through and fierce loyalty.

As you contemplate about "The Code of the West" please take the effort to instill these principles in your own lives. We actually live by these principles on a daily basis at West Ridge Academy.

So, strap your horses... it's time to roll the cowboy way!

1. Be courageous as you face each and every day 2. Be proud of your work 3. Always make it a point to finish what you started 4. Go out and do whatever has to be done 5. Be tough, but patient 6. Always keep your promises 7. Ride for quality 8. Do not say, DO! 9. Keep in mind that not all things are for sale 10. Know your boundaries