Tag Archives: memories

”I am sorry”, said the tree, “but I have nothing left to give you": Not the Same with the Toomer’s Oaks

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Recently at one of our college student Sunday night devotionals one of the seniors, John Mark Henderson, related the book “The Giving Tree” to selflessness and did a fine job by providing such a profound example of seflessness. 


This week as I reflected back on his lesson it reminded me in ways of the Toomer’s Oaks and their end. I was expecting the last week to be a sad one, after all our beloved Toomer’s Oak Trees were going to be cut down. They were poisoned during our 2010 football season by a bitter fan from a rival school, who took things way too far. Sadly, these trees are not something easily replaced. They were a beautiful landmark in downtown Auburn and the space that is now in their spot looks strange. 


In the case of the tree featured in “The Giving Tree”, she gave all she had for the boy until she reached a point where she had to tell him she had nothing left to give, but she did. Even when it seemed like she had gave all she had, there was more. Same is the case with the Toomer’s Oaks. 


The corner right now looks bare, but yet those oaks have gave Auburn fans SO much and there is still so much for them to give. Until I came to college here I had never rolled the oaks. Since my freshman year I have made so many wonderful memories at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and College Street. Many rolls of toliet paper thrown, runs underneath the canopy of the trees, several talks with friends and late night strolls. 


During my freshman year the night we wont the SEC Championship on December 4, 2010 was a very memorable night
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The National Championship rolling was another night I will never forget! 

 
Traffic jam on College Street heading to the game. Megan McMurray and I parked in the first spot we came to in the Comer Hall parking lot and sprinted all the way to the corner. 

The rest of the Auburn Family joined us

National Champs! What an exciting night.  

Brady and I after his first freshman game at the corner. 


We did not get to roll the trees as much this year as I would have liked to, but Saturday after the A-Day game, which 84,000+ people attended we rolled until I’m sure there was not a roll of toliet paper left in Auburn’s stores. 


These shots taken from above the crowd just help to solidify what this tradition means to the Auburn Family. People came from all over just to be a part of the final rolling of the oaks. 

Come fall when we (hopefully) win more football games. People will still gather at Toomer’s Corner as they have for year. This is where the trees are still giving back, the tradition started back in the 60’s and I’m sure willl continue. Toomer’s Corner is more than the trees, it is a place where Auburn fans can gather, usually we gather to celebrate victories of sports, politics (you name it), and some choose to gather there to protest. 

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This spot on Auburn’s campus has provided so  much for Auburn fans in the past and I cannot wait to see what it offers in the future. Shel Silverstein’s tree in “The Giving Tree” and the Auburn Oaks must be closely related they have provided so many memories over the years and still have so much still to give. 

Looking Back, Looking Forward

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In a few short hours 2012 will be in books and 2013 will here.  I’m thankful for the great year the Lord has blessed me with. 

In 2012 has consisted of…..




Auburn Football (and lots of it) 10 games to be exact.





 It was definitely not Auburn’s best year, but you make the best of what you have. Coming in to Auburn my freshman year when we won the national championship was very nice. This year definitely tested my patience with Auburn. The verdict is…I still love Auburn. I didn’t come here because of their football team I came here because I love Auburn and want my diploma to be from there. I’m getting a good education there and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

During football season there are always visitors in town. I was excited to see some of my friends from LSU this year. We were state FFA officers together in 2008-2009.  They were Louisiana State officers and I was one from Alabama. It was great seeing them. I didn’t know I would ever see them again when we finished our duties with FFA, but football has brought us back together the past 2 years. 



Traveling with the Auburn Tigers this year was quite an experience. Each away game several of us from church were able to pack up and travel to other schools. Its always nice to visit other schools and town, this year that was about the only positives considering that Auburn lost every single game on the road. Oh well…War Eagle anyway. Traveling to other schools definitely made me appreciate Auburn. 

This year also consisted of a little mud volleyball…


A little politicking… 



A little running…


A visit to friends out West. My first “real” rodeo…..



Introduced Savanna to Auburn…She’s in love came 2 weekends in a row. (Success!)


I got to hold a baby kangaroo. By far my post popular post on Facebook all year. 


A lot of ag-vocating….


Camping! 


Finished my eight year membership in the National FFA Organization



2013 will be a new year which I am sure will be filled with new adventures, friends, memories, lessons, knowledge, etc. 2013:

  • I will move off to intern during the summer
  • Begin my last year of college
  • Harvest my first crop (wheat) and hopefully a second crop (soybeans) 

So needless to say it will be a very exciting year. I do not know what all will come my way during the upcoming year, (which being a planner sometimes stresses me out), but I am reminded on the passage Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” with him I know all things will work for good. I hope the Lord blesses you richly in 2013. I’m looking forward to spending New Year’s Eve fellowshipping with other Christians and singing praises to the Lord as we to welcome in the new year. Until next year…..