All Joking Aside... - Bleeding Fool

In the next few days, up until November 11, remembrance events will be taking place all over the world.

In Canada we call it “Remembrance Day”.
In the U.S. my brothers and sisters refer to it as “Veterans Day”.
Regardless of the nomenclature,
the hearts and minds of citizens everywhere should be united in gratitude and quiet reflection.

Friends and colleagues separated by time but not experience
will throw their arms around each other again.

They will stand together, cry together and they will hold each other up once more,
as if a day was never lost between them.

Old combatants that once considered each other enemies will be sitting together, drinking together, marching together, sharing stories and memories together.
Becoming friends and through strength and honour,
monuments to each other.

It is a time of reflection of those brothers and sisters who are thankfully still here with us.
A solemn time of thanks when together we lift up the memories of those we have lost along the way.

We undertake the responsibility of honoring them in a way that is respectful and meaningful.
Some struggle to do so, while others simply refuse to give up.
Help them.

And so with that, I would share with you all a tale from an old colleague and CL of mine.

He’s been an incredible mentor to me along with countless others.

A steady hand of guidance and reassurance whenever a shit storm starts a blowin’.

He’s a pretty proud old zipper-head and so here he is –

Warrant Officer D.L. Cobbett, CD

He’s a pretty energetic and outgoing guy who spends his retirement jumping out of perfectly good airplanes but at this time of year, things sometimes take a more somber and quiet turn.

A conversation with him over beers inspired me here today when he showed me a post he made on social media just this weekend.

It upset me a great deal, especially coming from him.
He has always been our morale man; probably one of the reasons he was so effective with his troops as well as admired and respected as he most certainly is.
He wouldn’t say shit – even if he had a mouthful,
so this hurts.

I wanted to share this with all of my American, British and French brothers and sisters in arms specifically, but it is meant for all those out there that have answered a nations call to sacrifice.

You will always have a seat of honour at our table of remembrance.

So to my brothers and sisters out there who may be reading – speak.

Speak of your experiences, speak of your hardships,

your losses, your struggles…

– The Cost –

Speak especially to those who are unaware – our young people.

Teach those memories because it hurts.

You must.

You will not stand down.

It is our last sacred duty to our friends, and you all know

we only go to ground in shifts.

So keep going and look after the buddy next to you.

Silence produces the kind of apathy that W.O. Cobbett is referring to.

Just imagine the ego and self-righteousness that one of our brothers or sisters was confronted with that would prompt a reply such as this:

Those who find outrage in anything and everything need to stand back and take a long hard look in the mirror.
After that, they should be made to head to the nearest war memorial and start counting stones…
instead of throwing them.

To all of my brothers and sisters out there wherever you are,

please remember…

~ REGI PATRIAEQUE FIDELIS ~

***PICTURE CREDITS

INSERTS 1 &2 – http://cdnau.ibtimes.com/sites/au.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/11/12/453999-a-woman-places-her-hand-on-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier-following-r.jpg
WT. COBBETT STILLS – Wt. Cobbett album
BANNER – https://www.ourwindsor.ca/news-story/7762650-remembrance-day-2017-events-across-windsor-essex/
FORMER ENEMIES 1 – https://www.littlethings.com/enemy-reunion-vietnam/
FORMER ENEMIES 2 – https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-tank-heroes-meet-german-10172869
FRIENDS – https://ipolitics.ca/2018/11/05/new-democrats-poised-to-push-for-boost-to-spending-on-veterans-services/ ( iPolitics/Matthew Usherwood)
U.S. FLAG MEMORIAL – https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/460774605606131415/?lp=true
GRAVES 1 – https://www.aol.com/article/news/2017/05/29/this-is-the-one-thing-veterans-want-you-to-know-about-memorial-d/22115567/
BRITISH MEMORIAL (NorthEast Newcastle area) – https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/remembrance-day-services-newcastle-tyneside-13865759
VIMY – https://i1.wp.com/roadstories.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Vimy-Ridge-Towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1
MEMORIAL WALL – https://keepincalendar.com/November-11/Armistice-Day/368

All Joking Aside…

In the next few days, up until November 11, remembrance events will be taking place all over the world.

In Canada we call it “Remembrance Day”.

In the U.S. my brothers and sisters refer to it as “Veterans Day”.

Regardless of the nomenclature,

the hearts and minds of citizens everywhere should be united in gratitude and quiet reflection.

Friends and colleagues separated by time but not experience

will throw their arms around each other again.

They will stand together, cry together and they will hold each other up once more,

as if a day was never lost between them.

Old combatants that once considered each other enemies will be sitting together, drinking together, marching together, sharing stories and memories together.

Becoming friends and through strength and honour,

monuments to each other.

It is a time of reflection of those brothers and sisters who are thankfully still here with us.

A solemn time of thanks when together we lift up the memories of those we have lost along the way.

We undertake the responsibility of honoring them in a way that is respectful and meaningful.

Some struggle to do so, while others simply refuse to give up.

Help them.

And so with that, I would share with you all a tale from an old colleague and CL of mine.

He’s been an incredible mentor to me along with countless others.

A steady hand of guidance and reassurance whenever a shit storm starts a blowin’.

He’s a pretty proud old zipper-head and so here he is –

Warrant Officer D.L. Cobbett, CD

It upset me a great deal, especially coming from him.

He has always been our morale man; probably one of the reasons he was so effective with his troops as well as admired and respected as he most certainly is.

He wouldn’t say shit – even if he had a mouthful,

so this hurts.

You will always have a seat of honour at our table of remembrance.

So to my brothers and sisters out there who may be reading – speak.

Speak of your experiences, speak of your hardships,

your losses, your struggles…

– The Cost –

Speak especially to those who are unaware – our young people.

Teach those memories because it hurts.

You must.

You will not stand down.

It is our last sacred duty to our friends, and you all know

we only go to ground in shifts.

So keep going and look after the buddy next to you.

Silence produces the kind of apathy that W.O. Cobbett is referring to.

Just imagine the ego and self-righteousness that one of our brothers or sisters was confronted with that would prompt a reply such as this:

Those who find outrage in anything and everything need to stand back and take a long hard look in the mirror.

After that, they should be made to head to the nearest war memorial and start counting stones…

instead of throwing them.

To all of my brothers and sisters out there wherever you are,

please remember…

~ REGI PATRIAEQUE FIDELIS ~

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