CEO, Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association
I’ve always looked forward to the fall for lots of reasons — superficial and philosophical alike. But this year, the end of summer just feels a bit different. As a sports fan, some of my favorite games will soon be played. College football season is just around the corner, and we all know that there is something special about a Saturday in the South.
The Major League Baseball playoffs are in sight, and the intensity of each game builds more and more as the window to make it to the Fall Classic gets smaller and smaller.
Relief from the heat of the thick, humid Tennessee summer arrives. Mild fall temperatures with lower humidity seems like an oasis to me, not to mention that shorts and a long-sleeve T-shirt are the most comfortable way to dress, in my humble opinion.
And just as I feel some relief in increased comfort from Mother Nature, your co-op feels a bit of relief as well as the fall brings a respite from the ferocity of summer storms. This year’s storm season was particularly tough. Multiple severe systems brought torrential rain and high winds that caused damage to the power grid across many Tennessee counties.
Each time, however, co-op linemen and staff met the challenge and did what they do best. They arose early and stayed late, put on their boots, braved the storms and poured out their sweat to make sure the lights came back on. I am always grateful when I see a bucket truck with its flashing amber lights headed down the highway. I know that means that some special people are about to do honest work to make their community a better place.
Of course, if that bucket truck is on the side of road with lights flashing, there is something else important to remember — move over! If there is no other lane available, then slow down and stay alert for moving people and equipment. Not only is it safe, it is also the law.
But another ritual occurs each fall on Tennessee’s roadways. Young people pack up cars and head out of their homes to enroll in college. A move into a dorm room or apartment can be stressful — whether across the state, across the country or even just across town.
In years past, I have observed these life changes from the sidelines, helping a friend move out or loading a neighbor’s truck as a son or daughter heads off to school. The logistics can be tough, and the young people don’t always know what they need to bring. They might be anxious about leaving friends and what the school year will bring. And parents always seemed to experience a mixture of pride and sadness as their children left the nest.
But this fall, I am not on the sidelines but fully in the game. The emotions aren’t observed; they are felt. My oldest son has ventured from Middle to East Tennessee and begun his college career. Luckily for us, the logistics weren’t too bad. We had more than a one-hour window to move in, and the forgotten items were minimal.
But as I spoke to him on the phone a few days later, I asked when he would be home next. I was a bit shocked when he answered, “I don’t know. Maybe fall break?”
That’s when it hit me. This isn’t a sleepover at a friend’s house or a weekend with the grandparents. He has started a new chapter in life. Thankfully, he is a smart, kind, thoughtful and resourceful man who will do very well with the demands of his school commitments. Let’s just hope his mom and dad adjust as well as he will.
