M A Y H E M

Farmed By Family

Grenache Noir is one of my favorite grapes. It is the Farmer’s Grape, the Winemakers Grape, the Drinker’s Grape. It grows so well, and tastes so good, there is no wonder why the rest of the world drinks so much of it.
It is less intimidating than Syrah, the bigger brother of pinot. The Dead Center of what everyone loves about wine.
It reminds me of my son, my nephew… there are a lot easier to approach than my brother and I.
It is everything you want without anything you don’t.

This is my Son. Today he graduates from Jr. High and steps into High School.

My Son fills my heart with joy.
In the last couple of years I have watched him change.
I have watched him grow.
We almost see eye to eye these days.
When I hug him, a man hugs me back.

He is capable: I’ve asked him to do, and have seen him do things that would send most grown people running.

He watched a friend, a real cowboy, pregnancy check one of our cattle.
He watched close - eyes wide and mind blown.

Then I said - it’s time to do some country shit.
Zero hesitation- he was up and over the bars and he proceeded to check the rest of the herd.

He is a terrifyingly capable young man.

But that’s not why I admire him.

I admire him, because of his heart.

My son tells every single one of his friends,
At age 14.
Right to their face.
That he loves them.
He does it at the end of every phone call, hangout, or just to say good bye.

“Hey, I love you”…..

He has always been this little warm campfire of a human, I thought it would wear off, but no it’s only grown.

Every time I hear this 5’10 200lb chuck of man say , “I love you” he chucks another little stick on his fire.

When I was 14 I didn’t have the courage to say “I love you” to my friends.
I didn’t have the courage to stick my arm up a cows ass to preg check them.

Cash Does.

He soon will be taller than me, stronger than me, he will 100% be a monster of a human.

But it will only be because his body is catching up with his heart.

My mother calls it a cowboy heart.
My wife nurtures and protects it.
I envy it.

Every time I hear him tell a friend “I love you” I take a layer of scab, and metal, and ink and barbed wire off of my own.

I am vulnerable here
Because my son has the courage to be vulnerable EVERYWHERE.

A superhero’s heart beats in that boys chest.

But the most interesting part of this story, is that when he says “I love you” right to his friends faces.

They all say it right back.

14 year old, 5’10 200lb young men are doing things 40yr olds don’t have the courage to.

Congratulations my Son.

What you are great at,
no school can teach or test you for.

@not_cashsaarloos