Changes on the Horizon

In 23 days, I will have been graduated from Auburn for exactly three years. Since May 13, 2005, I've lived in two apartments, at home with the parents twice, a rental house and now here on Birch Tree Lane in Saltillo. In a lot of ways, I'm the same guy who walked across the stage behind Joy Howie and in front of my family (not to mention those who I consider to be extended family). It was one of the most fulfilling days of my life, that Friday the 13th.

I remember vividly every aspect of that morning. Momma Goldberg's after the ceremony and our pictures. The fast goodbye to Robert as he packed up and traveled back to Arab before we headed to O'Charley's for a celebratory dinner. John, Andrew's brother, leaning over to Jeanie and asking her to reach in his pocket. I look back on that 24-hour milestone with a smile.

As I stated above, I'm a lot like that guy who, on May 13, 2005, was ready to take on the athletic department ladder by storm. I was going to be moving to Gainesville in just over a month and learn under a new regime at UF. After that, it'd be an entry-level full-time spot at another Southeastern Conference institution before getting back to Auburn. It was a well-planned out career chart. Nothing could deter me from getting my next goal, since every other goal to that point had been achieved.

A total of 1,072 days have passed me by, and I no longer hold that aspiration to be an Athletic Director. As a matter of fact, I don't really have any desire to re-enter the athletic world other than being a spectator with several great stories to share with anyone willing to hear them. So, what do I do now?

Time plays its toll on those who are not ready for its benefits. I'm smarter than that day in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. However, I'm a guy without a plan at this moment. Where am I heading? What am I going to do?

I'm happy, very happy, with the way my life has worked out so far. I have friends that span across this great country and a family that can be surpassed by none other. The love and support they have shown me over my 25 years is a blessing from God, and I am not the person I am today without everyone who has ever been a part of my life - positive and negative alike. I'm happy, just not as happy as I believe I can be.

At work, I have several projects that are going to be wrapping up in the coming months. I'm hoping the last major one will implement around December or January. When it finishes, I'm going to place the house on the market. When the house sells (and it must meet a mandated price figure to get out the investment I've made), I'm going to search for a new job, a new career. I feel like I've hit a ceiling at BancorpSouth and can only offer so much to this position.

What's crazy is that I've prayed about this change to make me a better person, and I asked for signs that this would be the right move. Suddenly, these projects started to pick up steam. The next sermon at church dealt with making big decisions based on faith and knowing that God will take care of us as long as we find His plan and His way in all we do. For the first time in I don't know how long, I'm going to let Him direct everything without question.

Something like this will take is a lot of discipline, and I'm not the most patient person around. I know better than to pray for patience, but we listened to a sermon on discipline today at church. Talk about your back-to-back whammies. Doing what we ought to, not doing what we want to. What a novel concept...

My next goals are very personal yet simplistic in nature. I feel in my heart that these goals cannot be attained in Tupelo. If I don't get out now...well, time will take its toll on me also. I'm praying for discipline and guidance. I've rested easier at night since making this decision, and it's a peace that I've been missing for so long.

I'll keep everyone updated as much as possible. Now, it's time to go outside, look up at the stars and have a conversation. As always, thanks for reading.

War Eagle.

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