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My Boots Are My Roots

Wherever I go, I find people stare at my feet. My cowboy boots represent more than just footwear.

By Steven AltmanPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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Dad and me back where it all began.

I could say all the cliche things to grab your attention. I could paint a fake image of the cowboy life that I grew up in. But, none of that would be me, and that would be a disservice to the way I was raised and taught. I grew up surrounded by my parents, nature, and literally, on horseback. Don't quite get what I mean? Check out the main picture... yup. That's me in the knapsack with my dad at eight months old out in Kananaskis country in Alberta. Most of my childhood memories revolve around nature and family. If we weren't camping, we were on horses. If it wasn't that then it was helping dad with projects around the house. My world was learning, all types of skills, from how to hammer a nail to asking critical thoughtful questions about tough topics like politics, history, and philosophy. I was always encouraged to do well in school and if I was curious, at the time, "Google it" wasn't a phrase yet, grab a dictionary, or an encyclopedia and learn about it.

See, my reason for writing anything about this is the reaction to my cowboy boots. When I was a kid and had my very first pair I was excited. I got to be like mom and dad, I was starting to be looked at as an adult and not the child I really was. With that, expectations would come along: New chores, lessons, and deeper talks about the intricacies of the world at each new milestone in my life. These days, as I travel around the globe my boots are a reminder of where I am from, who I am and what we stand for. I find some look on in amazement that cowboy boots are a real thing and not some made up piece of Hollywood lore. Others, well, those others like to view me in the light of a racist, an idiot and very old fashioned before I even have a chance to open my mouth. Now, maybe the depiction of cowboys in movies isn't always that great and let's be honest, my southern neighbors in the USA have had a difficult history. I may not always fit in aesthetically to the culture and country I am apart of. But it is the same as me telling a Swede or Dane, that skinny jeans, muted colours, and fashionable haircuts are weird and stand out when they come to my area of the country. You wouldn't, one of the first lessons I learned.

"Never judge a person by their colour of their skin or the look of their clothes, judge them by the way they act and how they work."

Where I come from we learned a lot of things fast. Life and death are always together and a part of a natural process. From watching the birth of new animals to seeing the end of life, this was a normal piece but it never gets any easier to see it come and go. We rely on the land and the people around us to help when times are tough. For me, limiting the complaining when possible, figuring out how to solve your own problems without bothering others (after all they are your problems), lend a hand when asked or you notice one is needed and most of all we are equals, I can always learn something from somebody even if it a negative. You might say it is pride but, I would say it is being humble. Everyone has their own lives and their own issues, if you can avoid the negativity do your best to leave it at the door. If it is that pressing of an issue then talk it out and seek help. My parents used to say this when it was a problem they knew didn't need their help: "God gave you two feet and a heartbeat. He also gave you a brain. Use them." It taught me to not be reliant on others when I can take a situation and mold it myself. After all, the more you can do on your own the better off you will be.

Now, after the initial reaction to my boots, people love to ask me of home and I am beyond proud of where I grew up. I love my country and feel blessed to have grown up so close to the mountains. Talk will naturally shift to nature, hunting, fishing, hiking, and everything in between. People want to hear stories of what I have seen. Stories that back home might get a laugh or be followed up with a similar circumstance. By the time I finish, I notice a look of horror spread across the faces of my listeners. What I see as something avoidable or at least more in your control, like an avalanche in winter, they see as too dangerous. Proper, prior, planning, prevents, piss, poor, performance. Living so close to nature we all know that you never go alone, you always give a location and time frame and you keep yourself updated on the conditions. Pretty simple stuff. Before you even enter Provincial and National Parks they will let you know what is occurring and give you tips if something is happening. Nature is not to be feared, it is to be respected. The animals that scare people the most are also the same ones you are least likely to see. If anything, your more likely to trip and fall than run into a bear. These conversations show where I grew up and what ties me to the land. What they forget about the Alberta is how rural it is. Knowing First Aid, using a gun and a knife, how to properly use bear spray among many other skills, are pieces of our culture. For work, play, and vacation many skills are needed and developed over a lifetime both through observation and trial and error.

My cowboy boots are not a fashion statement. They are not a trend. They are part of who I am.

I might have been raised with some traditional pieces, how to treat others, a date and a relationship. But, I was taught to respect, honor and love the world and those within it. To give people chances and not judge too quick. That our emotions should not dictate our choices and everyone's time is of value so don't waste it, be direct and to the point.

So, if you ever catch me wandering some part of the world with a ball cap, some Wrangler jeans, and my cowboy boots—yes, I stick out—come over, say hi. It's nice to meet you, let's grab a coffee, and tell me about yourself.

Twitter & Instagram: @altsy01

Feel free to check out my blog page as I travel through the game of hockey.

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About the Creator

Steven Altman

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