Columns

Late last winter, a large white bag arrived on the front doorstep of my friend's home. For weeks, the two of us had waited for the slightly muddied bag to appear, and when it did show up we were quite impressed.

Months before, my buddy had caught wind of a seedling program offered by our own Kentucky Division of Forestry, and the bag contained what was soon to become a windbreak and privacy screen for his new home's backyard.

A man by the name of Tom Bodett once said, "The difference between school and life? In school you are taught a lesson then given a test. In life, you are given a test and then taught a lesson."

My experience as an intern at the Central Kentucky News-Journal has certainly been a test for me. It has been a test of character and one that has shown me what I am truly capable of.

It has imprinted into my memory the idea that I can do whatever it is I set my mind to do. I have learned that hard work and dedication are key to making any experience successful.

I love this time of year. The fall mornings and evenings are cool, giving me hope that winter is on its way.

Fall is a time for children to play in the leaves, enjoy a last few warm days and then begrudgingly drag out long-sleeved clothing.

It's also a time for homecoming, whether it's a family reunion, church revival or something of a larger scale such as Campbellsville University's annual homecoming festivities.

It was a heck of a way to start the day.

Driving to work one morning a few months ago, I spotted a car ahead of me on Coakley Street. The car was on my side of the road, yet it was driving in the opposite direction.

There was enough distance between us that a head-on collision was not imminent. So, I began to flash my headlights and honk my horn. The driver didn't notice.