| If you stepped outside this past weekend, you know exactly what I’m talking about — windows down, light jacket weather, the kind of day that makes you completely forget it was freezing not long ago. That’s Middle Tennessee for you. We’re currently enjoying highs pushing into the upper 70s this week, and it feels like spring has arrived for good. But if you’ve lived here for any length of time, you know better. Around here, we don’t just have one last cold snap — we have several. Old-timers have names for all of them: Blackberry Winter, Locust Winter, Dogwood Winter, Redbud Winter, etc. Each one sneaks back in just when you consider packing away your coat, offering one final reminder that the season isn’t quite done with us yet. And yet, every single year, we’re surprised. We forget. We act like this is new. 70’s in February, sure. Ice storm in March, it’s happened, too. There’s something worth smiling about in that. Change — real, lasting change — rarely moves in a straight line. It warms up, cools back down, and warms up again. The progress is still happening, even when a cold snap makes it hard to believe. That’s true in business and in life, too. The shifts that ultimately move us forward are rarely smooth. There are setbacks that look a lot like Blackberry Winter — a chill that makes you wonder if the warmth you felt was real. It was. Spring always wins in the end. We’re grateful for the opportunity to walk through all the seasons with you — the warm ones and the cold ones alike. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything we can do for you. Warmly (for now, at least), Missy |
