Back to the Frontier

A story from The Cowboy In You The Keough cattle brand, from the family ranch in Palm Beach County

I didn't retire.

I didn't retreat into commentary. I didn't write this and disappear.

I went back to the frontier. I went back to El Salvador.

I chose distance. A place where you can still build, still take risk, still be accountable.

There are no guarantees here. That's the point.

I'm still building.

I can't stop. It's who I am. My wife knows. I won't stop.

But the weight has shifted.

I have five kids. I'm building for them now. Not to protect them from the world, but to prepare them to face it.

I'm the coach now. Not the quarterback.

Frontiers always shrink. There aren't many left.

I can't tell you where to go.

But I can tell you where I stand: exposed, accountable, unfinished.

The frontier is retreating quickly. But you must pick a place to hold the line.

Here I hold the line.

The strongest men I’ve known never asked to be followed.

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