Being a rancher's child can be both a blessing and a curse.

It's a blessing because it creates hard work ethic, integrity, and good strong values. It's a curse because your only socialization is with animals.

But growing up being a rancher's childwas one of the best things that has ever happened to me. You learn to appreciate things more in life and to be happy with what you have. You don't complain because things could be worse and you learn that animals always come first before fun. Caring for our animals is a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. We have a story that no one else does. A story that only some people can understand. Our communities are tight-knit and everyone knows everyone. To us, ranching isn't a job title. It's a lifestyle that we are proud to live.

We can't call in sick to work or take a vacation. It's not a nine to five job, it's 24/7 for life. We have to keep on working no matter the circumstances because we don't desert our job. The day we first learned how to drive that tractor to feed the cattle was a day that we will never forget. Our first driving lesson wasn't in a vehicle with an educator telling us how to drive, but rather when we were five and took the stick shift out to the hay meadow and drove while Mom and Dad picked up the square bales. We were taught to respect our elders and learned how to have fun without a television and iPad. We learned that nothing was worth doing if it couldn't be done off a horse.

My parents weren't scared to give me responsibility. They knew I was capable of doing work. Dirt under your fingernails was no big deal and a pair of cowboy boots was your best friend. We understood how to have dignity and respect. We find peace in going out the middle of a pasture and watching the sunsets while counting cattle. Ranching teaches us what life is all about. We understand that there will be bumps in the road and that life can get hard, but we see past that at the reward of taking care of something besides ourselves. When left in charge of being good stewards of the land, water, and animals, we take that very seriously.

While being a rancher's child can be both a blessing and a curse, it's a wonderful upbringing that I would wish anyone to have. Animals being your best friend and finding comfort in the quiet is something only a rancher's child can understand.

I don't believe there is any better way of living than on a ranch.