• Subscribe
    • Franklin Living Magazine
    • Services
      • About Us
      • Subscribe
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Birthday announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Letter to the Editor
    • Classifieds
    • E-editions
    • Public Notices
      • Public Notices
      • Alabama Public Notices
    • Subscribe
    • Franklin Living Magazine
    • Services
      • About Us
      • Subscribe
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Birthday announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Letter to the Editor
    • Classifieds
    • E-editions
    • Public Notices
      • Public Notices
      • Alabama Public Notices

Franklin County Times
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyles
  • Obituaries
  • Records
  • Subscribe
  • Services
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Policies
  • Terms of use
  • Submit a news tip
  • Submit a photo
  • Birth Announcement
  • Birthday announcement
  • Engagement announcement
  • Wedding announcement
  • Submit a Classified Ad
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Classifieds
  • Public Notices
    Franklin County Times
      • Site logo
      • Home
      • News
        • Russellville
        • Red Bay
        • Phil Campbell
        • Franklin County
        • Photo Galleries
        • Sponsored Content
      • Sports
        • Belgreen Bulldogs
        • Phil Campbell Bobcats
        • Red Bay Tigers
        • Russellville Golden Tigers
        • Tharptown Wildcats
        • Vina Red Devils
        • College Sports
        • Sports Columnists
      • Opinion
        • Letters to the Editor
        • Columnists
        • Editorials
      • Lifestyles
        • Birthdays
        • Births
        • Couples
        • Food
        • Features
      • Obituaries
      • Records
        • Sheriff’s Report
        • Marriages
        • Land Transactions
        • Police Reports
      • Special Sections
      • Site logo
      • Home
      • News
        • Russellville
        • Red Bay
        • Phil Campbell
        • Franklin County
        • Photo Galleries
        • Sponsored Content
      • Sports
        • Belgreen Bulldogs
        • Phil Campbell Bobcats
        • Red Bay Tigers
        • Russellville Golden Tigers
        • Tharptown Wildcats
        • Vina Red Devils
        • College Sports
        • Sports Columnists
      • Opinion
        • Letters to the Editor
        • Columnists
        • Editorials
      • Lifestyles
        • Birthdays
        • Births
        • Couples
        • Food
        • Features
      • Obituaries
      • Records
        • Sheriff’s Report
        • Marriages
        • Land Transactions
        • Police Reports
      • Special Sections
    Archives
     By  Staff Reports Published 
    5:45 pm Tuesday, May 21, 2002

    Rites of passage

    By By Buddy Bynum / Editor
    May 19, 2002
    Father and daughter have certainly changed, the daughter growing up and the father growing old. As I thumb through the photographs I've carried for more than 18 years, I am shocked, again, at how quickly time passes. Could my daughter, Sarah, possibly be graduating from high school already? It seems like only days since she was born.
    The memory of her near midnight birth remains vivid, the single most fulfilling day of my life. She was blessed with excellent health. Taking her home to our little townhouse where she would spend her first few years on this earth and introducing her to friends and neighbors was great. Putting her to bed, watching her sleep clutching "LeMutt," checking on her during the night, heating up baby formula and playtime are all treasured moments. I held her so tightly on her first airplane flight for Christmas vacation a few weeks after she was born that I think I may have cut off circulation to her legs; fortunately, there was no permanent damage.
    Her mother and I read to her constantly. She began to learn from pictures, colors and words. We made many mistakes because it was a learning experience for us, too. Example: We took the advice of Sarah's pediatrician when he told us it was time to give up her pacifier. She wasn't ready and it caused some anxious nights.
    There were birthday parties and vacations and dance recitals and homework and church and learning to ride a bicycle, with streamers in the handlebars. And trips to the dentist, including one particularly painful extraction. But Sarah recovered.
    One of my most traumatic moments was walking her to the corner bus stop on her first day of school. She took it well, laughing with her neighborhood friends at the new experience. As I watched her climb up the steps to the bus and then watched the doors close and the bus pull away, I turned and walked back to the house all teary eyed.
    The first day of school is a rite of passage, for daughters and dads.
    Sarah did great in school, smart, attentive, willing to learn, coloring, drawing, painting, reading, writing. The development of her personality was just wonderful to watch.
    There was elementary school and middle school and high school. There was teaching her how to drive late in the afternoons and on weekends in a deserted high school parking lot. There was gripping the armrest on the passenger side as she took to the interstate and learned to drive at night in the rain. I beamed with pride as she got her license by passing the driving test on her first try.
    She constantly confirms my belief that from the day of her birth she was and is an extraordinary young lady.
    As I sit down to write this, Sarah is preparing to walk over, shake hands with the president of her school's board of directors and receive her high school diploma, graduating with honors another rite of passage into adulthood. She has worked hard, made good grades, participated actively in so many school activities, made friends and flourished. She has honed her debating skills through participation in the National Forensics League program (the other NFL, I learned from trips to various competitions).
    She is poised and self-assured, confident and optimistic about the future. I am clearly biased in this, but I will say the human race is fortunate to have her as a member, and I am blessed that she is my daughter
    She is a wonderful child, the best any father could hope for. She is smart, has a great sense of humor, beautiful, smart, … wait a minute, I've said that already.
    As my daughter, Sarah Elizabeth Bynum, prepares to move on to the next phase of her education and the challenges of life  she'll enter Ole Miss in the fall I have some private and these few public words of fatherly advice:
    Drive safely.
    Go to church.
    Be honest.
    Study hard and learn.
    Believe about a third of what you hear. Your challenge is to decide which third.
    Discover this great world and your place in it for yourself.
    Always remember that your dad loves you unconditionally. Always.

    Also on Franklin County Times
    Red Bay opts not to take over cemetery
    Main, News, Red Bay, ...
    Red Bay opts not to take over cemetery
    María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
    May 14, 2025
    RED BAY – City officials declined an offer to accept ownership of the privately owned Hillcrest Memorial Garden Cemetery located on Golden Road. Mayor...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}{"newsletter":"Newsletter"}
    Town picks Burks for Place 3 vacancy
    Main, Z - News Main
    Town picks Burks for Place 3 vacancy
    María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
    May 14, 2025
    PHIL CAMPBELL -- The town council has named Billy Burks to fill the vacant Place 3 position. The vacancy was created when former Place 3 Councilman Ed...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    RFD hires 2 as full-time firefighters
    Main, Z - News Main
    RFD hires 2 as full-time firefighters
    María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
    May 14, 2025
    RUSSELLVILLE – Two part-time firefighters have been hired full-time to fill two vacancies that recently occurred as the result of one termination and ...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    Murray’s post to be filled by Ivey
    Main, Z - News Main
    Murray’s post to be filled by Ivey
    By Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
    May 14, 2025
    RUSSELLVILLE — A vacancyleftontheFranklin County Commission after the death of District 1 commissioner Michael Lewis Murray will be filled via appoint...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    GRADUATION PATHWAYS
    Main, Z - News Main
    GRADUATION PATHWAYS
    Workforce option available in fall
    By Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
    May 14, 2025
    RUSSELLVILLE Some high school students may soon opt out of two years’ worth of math and science courses. To do so they must choose Alabama’s new high ...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    Legislators take action to help rural hospitals
    Columnists, Opinion
    Legislators take action to help rural hospitals
    May 14, 2025
    Alabama’s rural hospitals are vanishing. This devastating crisis is unfolding in the heart of our state, jeopardizing not only the health of our peopl...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    District 1 club learns about landscapes
    Opinion
    HERE AND NOW
    District 1 club learns about landscapes
    May 14, 2025
    Members of the District 1 Garden Club of Alabama met at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Decatur to learn about landscapes and install new officers. Har...
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}
    YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
    Opinion
    YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
    May 14, 2025
    Russellville City Council The Russellville City Council meets at 6 p.m. every first and third Monday at city hall. 256-332-6060.
    {"epopulate_editorials_prism":"epopulate_editorials_prism"}

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    ❮ ❯
    Latest Local News
    Red Bay opts not to take over cemetery
    Red Bay opts not to take over cemetery
    RED BAY – City officials declined an offer to accept ownership of the privately owned Hillcrest Memorial Garden Cemetery located on Golden Road. Mayor...
    May 14, 2025
    Morgan wins cybersecurity award
    Morgan wins cybersecurity award
    RUSSELLVILLE Russellville High School graduate Sarah Morgan recently received the Departmentof Computer Science Outstanding Cybersecurity Undergraduat...
    May 14, 2025
    Super Citizen program honors students, heroes
    Super Citizen program honors students, heroes
    RUSSELLVILLE Second and third graders from West Elementary and Russellville Elementary recently celebrated finishing their 10-week Liberty Learning Fo...
    May 14, 2025
    Sorority donates 435 books to PCES students
    Sorority donates 435 books to PCES students
    PHIL CAMPBELL -- The Muscle Shoals Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority has donated 435 books to the elementary school – one for every student.Ja...
    May 14, 2025
    NWSCC hosts county math tournament
    PHIL CAMPBELL -- Franklin County teams made up of students from grades seven through 12 recently competed in a county math tournament at Northwest Sho...
    May 14, 2025

    More Local News

    Latest Stories
    Marriages
    Apr.29 • Derek Andrew Henderson to Taylor Claire Glover • Canseco Zosima Alvarez to Lara Luis Angel Salinas
    May 14, 2025
    Calendar Of Events
    May19 – Russellville City Council Meeting.Meetings are held at 6 p.m. in City Hall in downtown Russellville.May20– TheRussellville City Schools Board ...
    May 14, 2025
    Land Transactions
    Apr. 22 • Tony and Tonya Welch to Justin and Alanis Epperson, survivorship • Federal National Mortgage Association and Fannie Mae to Derek and Damita ...
    May 14, 2025
    Martha Fay Cooke
    May 5, 2025 Martha Fay Cooke, 85, of Russellville, passed away May 5. Burial was May 8 in the Knights of Pythias Cemetery. Spry Memorial Chapel direct...
    May 14, 2025
    Joseph Onan Lindsey, Sr.
    May 2, 2025 Joseph Onan Lindsey, Sr., 84, of Russellville, passed away May 2. Visitation was May 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Spry Memorial Chapel. A se...
    May 14, 2025
    Latest Sports
    2 Belgreen Anglers are state champions
    2 Belgreen Anglers are state champions
    BELGREEN – Two members of the Belgreen High School fishing team, the Belgreen Anglers, brought home the school’s first state fishing championship. Sev...
    May 14, 2025
    PCHS senior signs to play golf at NWSCC
    PCHS senior signs to play golf at NWSCC
    PHIL CAMPBELL -- Kaylie Motes has signed a scholarship to play golf at Northwest Shoals Community College. Motes, who has been playing for four years,...
    May 14, 2025
    Spruce Pine athlete brings home 2 gold medals
    Spruce Pine athlete brings home 2 gold medals
    SPRUCE PINE -- Luke Herring, a senior student athlete at Hackleburg High School, earned golds for discus and shot put at the state track meet in Cullm...
    May 14, 2025
    Lady Golden Tigers go 1-2 in Class 5A regional
    Lady Golden Tigers go 1-2 in Class 5A regional
    The softball postseason run by the Russellville Lady Golden Tigers came to an end at the AHSAA Class 5A North Regional held at the Florence Sportsplex...
    May 14, 2025
    Belgreen punches ticket to state tourney
    Belgreen punches ticket to state tourney
    In a stunning display of resilience and grit, the Belgreen Bulldogs softball team battled their way through the elimination bracket of the Class 2A No...
    May 14, 2025

    More Sports Stories

    x

    Sections

    • Home
    • News
    • Sports
    • Opinion
    • Lifestyles
    • Obits
    • Special Sections
    • Sponsored Content
      • Home
      • News
      • Sports
      • Opinion
      • Lifestyles
      • Obits
      • Special Sections
      • Sponsored Content

    Services

    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise With Us
    • Policies
    • Terms of use
    • Submit a news tip
    • Submit a photo
    • Birth announcement
    • Birthday announcement
    • Engagement announcement
    • Wedding announcement
    • Submit a Classified Ad
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter
      • About Us
      • Subscribe
      • Advertise With Us
      • Policies
      • Terms of use
      • Submit a news tip
      • Submit a photo
      • Birth announcement
      • Birthday announcement
      • Engagement announcement
      • Wedding announcement
      • Submit a Classified Ad
      • Letter to the Editor
      • Sign Up For Our Free Newsletter

    Follow Us

    Copyright

    © , Franklin County Times