A Fond Farewell

As I plan to attend the final rolling of the Toomers Oaks this Saturday, I cannot help but feel mixed emotions. The outrage and hatred I feel for Harvey Updyke and his actions still lingers as strongly as the day I found out 2 years ago. Since that day, I have read reports, looked at tree replacement proposals, and tried to never give up hope that the trees would have a miraculous return. Alas, the trees couldn't pull a comeback (and/or Camback) in the 4th quarter. I cannot imagine driving down Magnolia and not seeing the trees marking the corner of campus, or walking from Jordan Hare after the game and not walking through curtains of toilet paper on the way downtown. While I have thought and felt all of these emotions, I couldn't help but be reminded of 'The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein, for in its own way, the Toomers Oaks have always been Auburn's own Giving Trees. Enduring thousands of rollings, pressure hosing on Sundays after gamedays, and even fires; the trees have stood their ground on the corner of Auburn's campus waiting for the next Auburn Tiger victory for thousands of fans to repeat the cycle. Saturday will be a sad day, but should also be a celebration for the trees and everything they have meant to Auburn University and Auburn fans over the years. War Eagle always!