Dear Friends,
Spring is a beautiful time of the year. Perhaps the jonquils have been a little confused as they have been blooming since late January! The wild crocus covered my yard with a blanket of purple that looked like a royal robe and then the periwinkle blooms appeared. Next will come the azaleas and dogwood and iris to go along with the green grass and the leaf buds on the trees. For several weeks the cows have been “pretending” to eat grass as the pastures turn green, but I am not sure there is anything there tall enough to eat. Mother Nature is truly at her best, and even with the abundant rain (that is an understatement), these months are ones that spark renewal, regrowth, and regeneration.
Due to the continuous spread of COVID-19, all spring UTIA Retirees meetings are being postponed to a later date. This decision is in keeping with the requests of President Trump and Governor Lee to keep group meetings to ten people or fewer. Also, UTIA Administration and the University of Tennessee are taking drastic measures to reduce the spread of the virus as well.
All four areas (Eastern, Cumberland, Central, and Western) are strongly encouraged to reschedule annual meetings once the spread of COVID-19 is under control. Thus, each area should take the initiative to reschedule its annual meeting when it is safe to do so. These are difficult times for our nation, states and communities and need the full cooperation of everyone. Thanks to all of the Area and State UTIA Retiree Officers for your leadership in managing these changes!
In this newsletter you will find another article drawn from the results of Fiftieth Anniversary Survey. This time the information focuses on answers given in response to the question about what we know now that we wish we had known when we were twenty-five years old. There is a great deal of wisdom and insight shared by respondents, and the answers contain good advice for people of all ages and at all stages of life. A sincere thank you to all who shared their thoughts and experiences.
One day last year I received a delightful handwritten letter from John I. (Ike) Sewell. His eyesight is poor and he told me that he can no longer drive or use his computer, but he shared some wonderful stories and memories about his early days working at UTIA. Among the things he did was organize and teach UT’s first animal waste management courses. He related that, “We had no book. We used magazine articles and told tales. We all (at least I) enjoyed very much those experiences.” Technology and research have advanced greatly in the last six decades since then, but the role of the Land Grant University System has never been more valuable or more needed.
How fortunate we have been to serve the people of Tennessee and to improve lives—including our own. The seasons of this year will continue, the beauty of spring will turn into the heat of summer and the colors of fall and then to the cold of winter. May all of the seasons of nature, and in our lives, be a blessing.
Ruth
Ruth Henderson McQueen