My heroes have always been cowboys

My Grandma Mahota, a cowgirl in her own right, encouraged us to have cowboys as our heroes - she would say "there's no truer example of the American spirit than a cowboy".
Brave and bold,
reckless and careless,
wild and free,
rough and ready,
tough to tame and hard to handle -
God bless us all who have that spirit within ourselves...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMko5LelBdA

PS, Mahota also offered the advice that its better to BE a cowboy than to try and love one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngbcsxFET68
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold.
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold.
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis, 
And each night begins a new day.
If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young,
He'll prob'ly just ride away.

Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings,
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night.
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do,
Sometimes won't know how to take him.
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him,
Do things to make you think he's right.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone.
Even with someone they love.