A movie was released this last year that featured a character I found myself strongly relating to. A classic scene in the movie included a speech by this character that stuck with me, "..I tend to think of myself as a 1-man wolf pack..." I share a similar independent spirit but over the years have learned to grow my wolf pack to include many different genres of life. Lately, I find myself relating to a rare and unique group of folks ... truck drivers. Now, I am well aware of the fact this elite group will not be inducting me fully into their posse anytime soon. Let's face it, does anybody really think that I am the best choice to pull that load of fat cattle or hay while bombing down the freeway? However, over the course of more than a year, the road has become my home. I'm not quite logging long haul miles but my nice weekly jaunt to and from my folks place covers 600 roundtrip miles. When I passed the 30,000 mile mark I officially moved into a new road warrior tier. This top tier membership includes perks & new-found wisdom such as understanding that any trips before 5pm and after 5am will encounter “unbearable traffic" through Eastern Washington, an unexplainable affection for gas stations-specifically coffee machines & merchandise racks, and the much lofted ownership of the 7-Eleven coffee refill card! However, what really sets this pavement pounding tier aside is the Zen-like deep thought the open road brings. While driving the other day I heard a quote from a California cattle rancher and agriculture advocate, "As my grandpa used to say, 'To understand my perspective, ride 100 miles with me.'" With my foot firmly glued to the pedal and another 200 miles to go, only two entertainment options remained for the drive: I could continue singing along to Tanya Tucker, or I could get this "perspective" predicament ironed out. It looked like 'Lizzie and the Rainman' was going to have to wait.
When is the last time you said, "I would be interested to hear what their perspective was on this matter." Can you actually remember ever saying or thinking that and if you are honest with yourself, did you really truly want to hear what someone else's perspective was? Perhaps now is a good time to take a serene drive and really chew the fat on ol’ Grandpa's quote. I will be the first one to admit that if you asked me if I really wanted to "understand Obama's perspective", colorful words would be heard for miles around. I am a little too prickled up right now to ride 100 miles with someone who's perspective I think does not contain an once of rationale or intelligent thought. Oh crap...now I sound just like the folks I’m complaining about.. open minded until I actually open my mouth. However, when I take a deep breath I think I would want to sit down with the Obamas and get an earful of their perspective. I am curious about how people get to their beliefs. If I wasn’t raised in Yakima County on a cattle ranch I guarantee my perspective on life would be far different than what it is currently. When is the last time you had a conversation with someone who had a different perspective than you? Better yet, would you even offer up your listening time if some young chap’s appearances hinted they came from a different wolf pack than you? Some days I get so sick of being politically correct it’s enough to make me almost punch the next peace, love, and happiness socialist right in the teeth. Then, that annoying angel over my right shoulder starts reminding me that if I judge that hippie book by its cover or never open it up to see what it says I’m limiting myself to what could be something great. Every so often I do listen to that angel on my right shoulder and that 100 mile ride often ends with a new found friend and more importantly some new found perspective.
I knew a man who was not a stranger to uttering profound proverbs such as, "to understand my perspective, ride 100 miles with me." these out of nowhere statements always came during what seemed like a dreadful 100 mile no air conditioned, 90 degree day ride in a grain truck or a scorching sun filled horseback ride through the sageland. At that time, understanding his perspective was not the issue. The issue was the desire to understand his perspective or how he came to hold that perspective. As I've encountered many various wolf packs and genres of folk over the years, I've never forgotten those days spent learning silent lessons. It may be shocking to some that at times I am not shy at voicing my opinion or perspective. But isn’t that what all any humans desire, to be heard and understood? Every human being was given a voice and expansive mind to articulate individual views of how the world goes 'round. Gosh you are probably starting to think I sound more like Jane Fonda than Glenn Beck. Well now, you’ve never saddled up and went on that ride with me? If we desire to have our perspective heard by the world, are we willing to listen to someone of the opposite belief system be heard? Well cattlemen ... are we? If we want the Department of Ecology to listen to why they should grant us our right to use exempt wells for stock watering are we really going to open-mindedly listen to the Sierra Club’s views of water management? Perhaps the time has come to hop in the old truck or tighten the cinch on that old mare and go for a ride with them. When I find myself saying that I just do not understand how that person could ever come to that ideology of thinking its never long before a lump in my throat forms and I know my answer. The answer lies in the truth that I will never understand how someone came to their belief system unless I ask them or more importantly, I listen to them. 
Have you ever truly listened to two people who can't agree on abortion. Yes, I just said abortion, perhaps the most taboo word ever uttered in the English language-you will survive I promise. It typically does not take long to understand why they can not agree-heck a six year old could figure out faster than us. Those two folks' perspectives are not the same because their life experiences are not the same, the way they were raised is not the same, or maybe their brains are just not clones of one another’s. We need to stop caring so much about people who don’t think the same as us-get over it. If we want people to not stereotype agriculturists, conservatives, religious followers in a box, then we need to lead the pack by example. We keep waiting for our neighbor to become open minded and expand his knowledge, while that wait cripples us farther. Is a tattoo, piercing, or bumper sticker stopping you from pulling up a bar stool and getting to know someone? The worst case scenario is that they in fact think or believe in something opposite of you. That long-haired tattooed man just may be the new pastor in town or the clean cut business suit sporting neighbor might be Jeffrey Dahmer in waiting. Our perceptions are often the dead leg that’s slowing us down in this business. To become successful in business or in your personal life then we have to challenge our own perspective first. Something in the universe triggered you to choose Angus over Brahman, Quarter Horse over Arabian, or Miller High Life over Busch. Did education and knowledge drive your choices? Or were your choices formed by people around you, your background, environment, or what the 8-ball said? When we understand what is driving our perspectives and our neighbor’s perspectives then we can effectively start to change some factors in our lives for the better. The cattle industry features some of the most intelligent minds in business and I am confidant if we pull up a bar stool to our adversaries, alliances can begin to form and we will not continue to be victims of circumstance.
As you find yourself driving down your own lost highway this week, decide whether you really would ride 100 miles with me to swap perspectives. Do not let the inherent fear of learning something new about yourself or other people limit you from discovering new ground.
