Tag: Memorial Day
This Old Turkey Hunter Remembers
A bit of a melancholy kind of Memorial Day as we remember those fallen while engaged in battle, in service to our country. I am fortunate for those family members that have served, eventually came home to continue life onward with us, beyond service to our country. Each time my father returned home from a tour at sea I was too young to know or worry. He was our hero and assumed he always would. We are grateful that was the case.
We honor them on Veterans Day although it is today that we think of them also as they are our living heroes among us. Not to take away from the intent or deep meaning of this day of remembrance. The sacrifice of one’s life in service to us is a profound act that we honor today.
As a day of reflection I also reflect on a spring season of allowing me to get out and hunt which came perilously close to never happening again after a near fatal experience with Covid late summer last year. It is humbling to know that these heroes sacrificed their tomorrow’s of such days afield, time with family, and leaves me grateful to have had the time as I have had. Something very special after having so many memorable seasons over three decades in the turkey woods.
The turkey woods are by declaration my sanctuary, my church where I ponder my thoughts, engage in deep consolation with my maker. With the good fortune to do so this spring, I find my bearings, and return home grounded and in appreciation for so many things, and for so much that has been done for me and my fellow countrymen.
It is fitting for this old turkey hunter to reflect, to honor, and remember these fallen heroes on Memorial Day as it is not forgotten that all that I have come to love and enjoy came at a price that has been paid in full for our way of living.
-MJ
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Memorial Day, A Day of Respect
We have to our pleasure in the Northeast a weekend of blue skies and very summer like weather. With a long weekend in progress it is a time to enjoy time away from work to be with our love ones, friends, and to make the most of it. There will be those loved ones and families that may not enjoy it as I suggest. The loss of the loved ones whom gave the ultimate sacrifice may be a wound too fresh, a loss all to recent to console in a way that lessens their pain. I’ll ask or suggest that should you come across those that grieve on this day of remembrance that you offer your ear, your heart, your support. and your showing of appreciation of what they have perished for. A showing of compassion is in order on this day, as the other 364 days.
I get the two world wars, Korea, and not so much with Vietnam, and the conflicts that followed. Am I grateful that Saddam Hussein is gone from the planet, you bet. Osama Bin Ladin, yep him too. I like many of you find it harder to find my way through the political optics, political slant, cover ups, and bs associated with these conflicts. That is my view of the events, not those that serve us. Memorial day is about those that serve us, and gave their lives for our way of life and for the country we have. Warts and all that it may be. I do not waiver on being an American.
It is unimaginable to me to exit an amphibious vehicle on D-day into a hail of machine gun fire. To willingly move forward in the thick jungles of Vietnam, knowing it may be your last steps. To breech houses in the heat of the desert knowing the next step may be an IUD there. It is hard to comprehend, not hard to honor their bravery, their actions. They do the job we do not. For that they have my eternal respect, and I am grateful for what they do.
In remembrance I ‘ll be thinking of my father, grandfather who have long since passed, and my uncles and cousins who are still with us.
Respect and Honor is the day
God Bless
© 2016 Joyner Outdoor Media
Memorial Day- Honor, Observance, and the Great Debt We Owe
Memorial Day- Honor, Observance, and the Great Debt We Owe.
Today is the day we honor and show our respect for our nation’s heroes. We recognize our veterans and especially those that have fallen during wars/conflicts/line-of-duty that have given service, and or the ultimate sacrifice. This is afforded to us by these great men and women for our great country, our freedom, and pursuit of the American dream.
I grew up in a military family. My father, Eugene Joyner was a career Navy man, retiring after 22 years in 1974. He served on the USS Wisconsin, USS New Jersey, and a handful of other ships. We were not told of many experiences he had, but it was a serious conversation when mentioning the “Bay of Pigs.” I also have two uncles David McCoy, and Neil McCoy who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. They do not talk about it much. What was not said was understood. It was serious stuff, and it greatly impacted them. In our family, showing honor and respect on this day, and the other 364 days was ingrained in our upbringing. We were taught to respect and show our gratitude for all those in uniform who served us, and those who served us in the past. We knew the significance, the depth of what it all meant.
Without question, our veterans, our heroes deserve our gratitude, honor, and respect. In general, the majority of us as Americans get this. It is my belief that it is wrong to confuse free speech, and protest with the fundamental honor and respect due to these great men and women. We honor and love them, but may vehemently hate war. Today we honor our own, not to debate war itself or the darker side of humanity.
My thoughts and wanderings today brought me to this question today: What if any do we owe or in debt to for those that we honor today? As I thought about this, I gave reflection to what they sacrificed for, what was so important to them they would willingly die for. The low hanging fruit is easy- protect family, loved ones, friends, neighbors, fellow Americans. During the great wars the threat was easy to identify, today we see terrorist acts which can strike anyone of us. Protecting each other is a fundamental motivation. I think what we owe these great men and women is how we conduct ourselves, how we treat each other, how we contribute to our way of life, the greater common good. Is it not fair to say that the great sacrifices were afforded to preserve if not promote all the good and virtues of the American way of life, our freedoms, and the things we enjoy and pursue? It is not unlike moral code ingrained in our beliefs of faith, the way we make the world a better place by our contributions/roles that we give of ourselves. It is my deeply held conviction that we honor them best by making good on the freedoms they fought for. The freedom to choose doing good deeds, work hard, raise our children well, treating others well, deal with others honestly, and fairly. Would it not be fitting to honor them by making what they sacrificed for worthy, and a much better place? This is what they deserve in our gratitude, our debt to pay. I believe this would be redeeming for all of us.
With this I leave you with these thoughts to ponder. As you enjoy the day in celebrating and honoring these great men and women, spend time with family and loved ones, that you make good in some small way on what you have gained by their efforts and sacrifice.
© 2015 Joyner Outdoor Media
A Grateful Remembrance
It is difficult to put to words the profound thoughts and actions of those whom we have known, those we have never met, have given great sacrifices, and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for each of us and our country. Their bravery and valor freely afforded to us in order to protect us, our way of life. Their actions carried out with same diligence and extreme prejudice that you and I would for our loved ones in the middle of the night or any other time. In this we rightly honor each of them for their service.
We honor those that have fallen in battle, and these honorable men and women soldiers who have passed on.
As a civilian and citizen of our great nation, I am in awe of your service, and grateful beyond words for your sacrifices.
Today I honor my father, and my grandfather, whom I miss greatly. I am also thinking of my uncles whom fought in the jungles of Vietnam and are still with us.
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
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