Perhaps because I was always a free spirit, looking for adventure, I especially adored stories of discovering new frontiers.  I adore Westerns!

Sure, "The Donna Reed Show" and "The Flying Nun" were cute, but "Laredo" and "The Virginian" told STORIES. The Western was a morality play and cautionary tale rolled into one giant tumble weed, that rumbled around in my mind ...

There are so many reasons to love Westerns...and first on my list is the the writing.

Both TV scripts and novels of frontier sagas deal with history. Even when fictionalized, the characters have depth. I always learn something new when I watch 'Wanted. Dead or Alive' (Steve McQueen), or 'Rawhide' (Clint). Like how to build a roaring fire when it's raining cats and dogs....or 101 ways to make beef jerky appetizers!

Then there are those titles filled with alliteration and whimsy: 'Pistols & Pettycoats,'  'Shotgun Shade,' 'Range Rider.'  And the classics - 'Cowboy G-Men' and 'The Restless Gun'...which gave birth to 'Lethal Weapon' and 'Die Hard.'  Another reason Westerns rule.

Then there are the fashions. Randolph Scott, the classiest cowboy EVER, always dressed like he had a date right after his fisticuffs and gun fights! He was class in a cowboy hat. From the likes of Miss Kitty of 'Gunsmoke' to Mrs. Pendrake ('Little Big Man') western fashion formed the landscape of our collective consciousness.

But, the entrepreneurial spirit is what I embrace the most about Westerns...

They flew by the seat of their pants! There were no rules for their discoveries. They couldn't see across the horizon or around the bend. It took faith ... belief in themselves and in God. The Westerns teach us to be fearless in the searching, to embrace the unknown and when you run out of bullets...improvise!

And if all else fails...wear a cool hat.