07/06/2026
One of my favorite parts of owning Suds is the people who walk through our doors.
My friend Art Francis stopped by today, and every time he does, we end up talking horses. Art comes from generations of horsemen. Itās not just something he doesāitās part of who he is.
As we visited, Artās stories stretched across generationsāfrom his great-great-great-grandfather, to his grandfather, to his mom and dad, and then on to his own children and grandchildren. Woven through every story were the same threads: family, strong values, hard work, determination and a deep love for horses. It was as though horses werenāt just something his family raised or rodeāthey were part of the fabric of their lives, connecting one generation to the next.
Then he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through pictures from the powwow this weekend in Punnichy. He said I took my team there. We were up at 5 and didnāt get home until 10:30. He showed me his relatives, his bucking bronco herd⦠and with every photo came another story. You could hear the love in his voice and the pride in his heritage. A way of life that has been faithfully passed down through generations.
Before he left, I asked him one simple question.
āArt, whatās your key to success and meaningful life?ā
He smiled and said, āMy grandfather always told meā¦ā Then he explained that his grandfather never spoke a word of English, so he first spoke the words to me in Cree. Hearing them in his own language carried a weight that needed no translation.
Then Art looked at me and said,
āNever look back too long. Do your best today. Always look ahead.ā
We shook hands before he left, but I stood there for a while thinking about those words. What a gift to receive wisdom that has traveled through generations and is still changing lives today.
Thanks for the visit, my friend. It was a privilege to spend that time with you. Iāll carry your grandfatherās words with me for a long, long time.