Tennessee's Greatest Resource - it's Youth

One of my great blessings in having moved from Central Florida to rural northwest Tennessee has been in getting to know many of the young people here. With few reservations, I have found them to be a most remarkable - most industrious - lot.

One characteristic that they all share is that none “came from privilege”. I’ve heard stories of mattresses having to be dragged out from back rooms every night just to have a place to lay down to sleep. In some cases those already-used mattresses had been pre-christened by crawling babies and puppies (NOTE: It turns out it’s OK as long as it’s YOUR puppy!).

These young men had little to do in the afternoons after school other than to skateboard around town, explore the local woodlands, hang out at the city park and, play “D&D” at one-another’s homes and, most frequently of all, engage in MMA fights in their back yards.

They have since graduated high school and launched themselves into the world - not without their share of struggles along the way. They are now beginning to shoulder adult responsibilities in a way that is most admirable.

The other day the young man who was helping me get my groceries loaded up was telling me about his “other two jobs”, both of which involved doing heavy work in the out-of-doors. He was quite proud to point out to me the black pick-up truck in the parking lot - which was his!

Earlier this week I was speaking with a young woman who I have also known since high school. Dear God does she have a mind that is a steel trap! Even though she is relatively new to the workplace, I know I could leave her in charge of a multi-million dollar business with no worries at all that things would run smoothly.

Another young man that I’ve known these past few years has been working hard at a couple of demanding jobs. He’s saving up to buy the house he grew up in as his first real estate investment.

There have been many true life rags-to-riches stories that have come from this part of the country. Stories of those those who started life in the most humble of situations, and who went on to cast a big shadow in this world.

And I know now from whence those stories come. I’ve been living at the wellspring.