Respect for the Hunt

In this episode, Respect for the Hunt . . .

As the first light of dawn softly painted the sky shades of orange, Ronnie (Ron) and Rodger, two brothers, left their houses. On his way out of town, Rodger stopped at Casey’s to get his morning drink while Ron grabbed a cup of coffee and quickly dictated a text.

“I’ll meet you at the gate.”

The arrival of deer hunting season stirred excitement in their hearts, filling them with a sense of purpose and connection to nature.

“My deep freeze is getting low; we must bag a big one this year.”

It's still dark in California. I’m checking the weather app (15 degrees) to see their weather this early morning, so I texted them.

“Are you guys in the woods this morning? It looks pretty cold there.”

Ron’s response, "Perfect weather, if the snots not flowing, I’m not going!"–Not exactly something you’d find in a Carl Sandburg poem.

I chuckled, thinking . . . we have a comedian in the family.

“Do you guys have snow?”

“No, Snow.”

Yes, I understand the brevity of their response.

These two seasoned hunters, deeply connected to the wild, glide through the woods like shadows. Each step is deliberate, and their boots barely make a sound on the crisp, fallen leaves. The air is filled with the earthy scent of damp soil, creating a peaceful ambiance. Nature is gently interrupted by a curious squirrel's rustling and a bird's distant chirping.

Ronnie carries a well-used shotgun, a familiar weight in his hands. The younger Rodger, on the other hand, prefers his rifle. His eyes dart across the woods, searching for any sign of movement. Countless hours of practice had honed their skills, giving them a sense of confidence for the hunt.

As the sun rose, they paused to listen. This wasn’t just any hunt; it was a deep connection to something greater, a cherished tradition passed down through generations.

As they followed the fresh deer tracks into the woods, harvested corn fields opened around them, the light of dawn bathing the trees in a golden glow. The crisp cold air carried the faint scent of hickory, and their breaths puffed out in small clouds as they moved deliberately, their senses attuned to the rhythm of nature.

“Damn! It’s cold this morning.” Whispered Rodger.

“Did you forget your long underwear? I'm thinking that cold Pepsi from Casey's didn’t help.” Ron whispered back.

The tracks led them to a small clearing, where a majestic buck stood, its antlers gleaming like a crown. The animal was perfectly still, its robust frame a testament to the resilience of life in the wild. The men exchanged a glance—a moment of unspoken understanding.

Silently, Rodger raised his rifle, his hands steady. But just as he prepared to take the shot, something stirred within him–

Ron laughed, “Was that a fart, or did you sh*t your pants?”

They both broke up laughing; Rodger lowered his weapon.

The buck seemed to sense the “shift” in the air. It raised its head, locking eyes with them for a fleeting moment before bounding away into the woods, disappearing into the trees.

“Not today,” Rodger whispered, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Ronnie, watching the decision unfold, nodded in silent agreement. “Not today,” he echoed.

“Damn! We missed that one.”

As they returned to the truck, the sun broke over the horizon, casting a warm, golden light on the path ahead. Ronnie clapped Rodger on the back. “Breakfast is on me,” he said with a grin. “And next time, I’m driving.”

Rodger laughed, the sound echoing through the woods. “Deal. But next time, let’s bring coffee.”

The rustling leaves on the trees seemed to hum around them, alive with promise and peace. They walked back, not as hunters who had failed but as brothers who had gained something far greater—a memory that would last a lifetime.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. I'll see you in the next episode.

Comments

We Need Awe More Than Ever

In this episode, Why We Need Awe More Than Ever Yesterday morning, I slipped into the cool stillness of my backyard before dawn. The air was crisp, the silence deep—broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the familiar calls of birds waking early. Then I looked up. A thin crescent moon hung low in the east, with Venus just above it like a shining jewel. The sky was clear and full of stars, and for a moment, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: Awe! For thousands of years, the heavens have carried on their steady dance, untouched by human noise. No ruler, no election, no breaking news has ever changed their rhythm. And yet here I was, tempted to reach for my phone—to trade the eternal for the urgent. Instead, I stayed. I watched the moonrise, the sky slowly lighten, and the world around me stir. Ducks passed overhead in a loose V, hummingbirds zipped past to visit their feeder, pausing mid-air as if curious about me sitting so still. Little by little, the static in my mind f...

The Silent Grid–Part Two

In this episode, The Silent Grid – Part Two Sirens split the night as Greenwood went dark. Marvin knew instantly—the blackout wasn’t an accident. It was a warning. In this quiet town, where life once unfolded at a predictable pace, a sleek, intuitive smartphone—a so-called gift from the future —has arrived. But it’s no tool for connection. It’s a silent force, erasing individuality and turning neighbors into something less than human. Marvin Gellborn, a man who values independence, sees the truth. His device isn’t helping; it’s testing him, watching him, and quietly embedding itself into the life of Greenwood. Welcome back to On the Fly . In this week’s episode of The Silent Grid , GridBot tightens its grip. After a hopeful community gathering, Marvin and his robot companion, Norman, notice a troubling absence—the very generation they hoped to reach has vanished into the neon glow of The Signal Box , a youth tech hub pulsing with digital obsession. When Greenwood’s lights vanish, Marvi...

The Pessimism Aversion Trap

In this episode, The Pessimism Aversion Trap Picture this: a room full of bright minds nodding in agreement as a bold new strategy is unveiled. The slides are polished, the vision is grand, and the future, we're told, has never looked brighter. Everyone beams—because who wants to be the one to say, "Um… this might not work"? Heaven forbid someone spoil the mood with a dose of reality. Better to smile, add a buzzword or two, and march confidently toward disaster. That's how the Pessimism Aversion Trap works. Even now, I can still hear the sound—a high-pitched shriek and a digital hum, followed by the slow, rhythmic clatter of data pouring from a 5¼-inch floppy disk. It was the late 1980s, and my makeshift home office (our living room) was dominated by what felt like a marvel of modern engineering: a used Tandy 1000 PC with not one, but two floppy drives. To top it off, we purchased a 'blisteringly fast' 300-baud modem—which, for the uninitiated, could downloa...

History Isn’t a Museum

✨ In this episode, History Isn't a Museum—It's a River . . . History isn't a museum—it's a river, and like it or not, we're already swimming in it. Its waters carry timeless lessons forward, flowing through each generation, waiting to be rediscovered . This profound realization struck me while reading Marcus Aurelius's Meditations . Imagine: a Roman emperor and philosopher two thousand years ago, writing notes that sound like advice from a modern mindfulness coach. When he says, "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength," it feels like he's speaking directly to us. The water may change, but the river is the same. Examining this writing with a fresh, childlike perspective and a wealth of experience, I realize how consistent human nature remains over time. Every generation faces familiar challenges, marked by frustration, peace, courage, faith, baseball, and the search for meaning across the ages...

On The Fly

Search This Blog