Download & Print
March 10, 2020
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
Special to the Prophet
I have so many things to be thankful for here in my golden years and my early life in Bandera made a lot of them possible. I'm grateful for the education I received which gave me the ability to make a living and to have a decent retirement plan. I learned lessons from both good and not so good educators through the years.
I would say it was fate that stepped in and directed my wife's family move to the Bandera area when she was young so we would later be joined as partners for life. I haven't always made good choices in life but I got lucky on that one. Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.
I'm thankful for all the long lasting friendships I have been blessed with over the years. It always brightens my day when I run into one of my old classmates from school. There are still quite a few of us around not only from the graduating class of 65 but all the way back to my days at St. Josephs Catholic School. It seems just saying hello is never enough when running into these special people in my life. The Bandera lifestyle dictates that you stop and chat for a bit even if you just saw each other yesterday. Taking time to visit is what separates us from that big city hustle and bustle attitude.
I continue to meet new people who become instant friends simply because they have chosen to live in a place where I grew up and they want to hear all about the old days. Both sides of my family have roots that run deep in the heart of this area we call The Cowboy Capital of the World so the stories are many.
My Polish heritage is something I take great pride in when referring to Bandera history. It is a part of Bandera that is sometimes overlooked but it has been here since the beginning. That is why I was inspired to have some "Keep Bandera Polish" bumper stickers printed up years ago and they are still around. Long Live Bandera Polanders!!!
Thinking back to early life when staying with my Granddaddy Kindla, I'm thankful I no longer have to go to an outhouse in the middle of the night or take a bath in a metal tub in the kitchen by a wood burning stove. That being said, I am thankful for the many precious memories of that special time in my young life. As my lifestyle has improved and become much more comfortable I still cling to thoughts from back in the day with no regrets.
I'm grateful for having experienced Growing Up In Bandera before the bumper to bumper traffic and traffic lights on Main Street. They surely would have put a damper on teens dragging Main and impacted our social life.
#220 2020
I would say it was fate that stepped in and directed my wife's family move to the Bandera area when she was young so we would later be joined as partners for life. I haven't always made good choices in life but I got lucky on that one. Even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.
I'm thankful for all the long lasting friendships I have been blessed with over the years. It always brightens my day when I run into one of my old classmates from school. There are still quite a few of us around not only from the graduating class of 65 but all the way back to my days at St. Josephs Catholic School. It seems just saying hello is never enough when running into these special people in my life. The Bandera lifestyle dictates that you stop and chat for a bit even if you just saw each other yesterday. Taking time to visit is what separates us from that big city hustle and bustle attitude.
I continue to meet new people who become instant friends simply because they have chosen to live in a place where I grew up and they want to hear all about the old days. Both sides of my family have roots that run deep in the heart of this area we call The Cowboy Capital of the World so the stories are many.
My Polish heritage is something I take great pride in when referring to Bandera history. It is a part of Bandera that is sometimes overlooked but it has been here since the beginning. That is why I was inspired to have some "Keep Bandera Polish" bumper stickers printed up years ago and they are still around. Long Live Bandera Polanders!!!
Thinking back to early life when staying with my Granddaddy Kindla, I'm thankful I no longer have to go to an outhouse in the middle of the night or take a bath in a metal tub in the kitchen by a wood burning stove. That being said, I am thankful for the many precious memories of that special time in my young life. As my lifestyle has improved and become much more comfortable I still cling to thoughts from back in the day with no regrets.
I'm grateful for having experienced Growing Up In Bandera before the bumper to bumper traffic and traffic lights on Main Street. They surely would have put a damper on teens dragging Main and impacted our social life.
#220 2020