fact;that;we;can;see;in;real;time;what’s
going on almost anywhere in the world is
magical. We love it, but there is a certain
mystery;that;is;taken;away;as;a;result;of
that. They really lived in a world of faith.
They had to believe that they were going
to;make;it,;and;with;all;the;odds;against
them;in;a;huge;way.;Maybe;they;didn’t
know that. We know that, but maybe
they;didn’t;know;that.;Do;you;think;they
knew;it?
TOS: I think at least some of them
would. I remember reading about the
first;wagon;train;to;go;west,;and;the;book
said;that;the;people;knew;it;must;be;do-able because the man leading them had
gone;and;come;back.
Dean:;Sure.;Okay,;there;you;go.
TOS:;At;that;same;time,;they;also;knew
how;unlikely;that;was,;and;after;the;first
few wagon trains had gone, they had
to start hearing that the survival rate
was;not;100%;by;any;stretch.;So;maybe
they;didn’t;know;all;the;details;like;if;we
would have had a reporter on the scene
chronicling;every;step,;but;I;think;they
knew;they;were;taking;their;life;in;their
hands to try to do it.
Dean: And they did it for compelling
reasons. They did it because they wanted a
better life; they did it because they wanted
to own something and build something
and;create;something;of;their;own.;I;think
that is very inspiring and aspirational,
something that can continue to inform
our lives today. There was no safety net
in that. You really had to go out there and
take;a;shot.;If;you;made;it,;you;made;it,
and;if;you;didn’t,;there;was;nothing;that
was;going;to;rescue;you.;So,;I;think;the
pioneering spirit that we need to remember is an extremely admirable thing.
TOS: If you could have chosen one ele-
ment of pioneer life to be handed down
to the present day without being changed
too much, is there an element you would
pick?;If;so,;what;would;it;be?
Dean: Maybe wide open space. You
know,;if;I;could;have;all;the;comforts;that
I have today and have all the convenience
that;I;have,;and;still;be;able;to;walk;outside
my;door;and;look;as;far;as;I;could;see;and
see;nothing,;and;have;the;quiet,;I’d;take
that.;That’s;very;hard;to;come;by;today;
it’s;a;real;gift.;If;you;can;have;that;today
and;have;all;the;conveniences,;too,;you’ve
really given yourself a tremendous gift.
TOS:;Thinking;back;to;your;time;on
the Little House television series, are
there any favorite memories of playing
Almanzo;that;you;would;like;to;share
with our readers?
Dean:;You;know,;I;think;the;moments
that;I;like;the;best;are;the;moments;of;hu-mor. Little House was not a comedy, and
yet, we had comedic moments. There
certainly were charming, fun moments.
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