I stood on Toomer's Corner among the hanging toilet paper with tears trickling down my cheeks.
The tissue-decorated wires looked so pitiful against the night sky. Cheerful children were running around, oblivious to the missing pieces of this tradition.
The overall atmosphere was still joyful, but there was a new, almost melancholy damper on the usually happy celebration.
Overheard were remarks from new fans and old fans, as well as from those simply wandering the streets:
"What are these wires?"
"Why can't they just put up fake trees?"
"The toilet paper just falls off the wires! This is so lame."
And I have to agree.
Although I was not around when the trees were planted in the late 1930s or even when they began to be rolled in the 1970s, the removal of these two iconic trees last April signified the end to an important part of my childhood.
I had grown up throwing toilet paper into the branches of these oaks, and now my future children won't be able to roll the same trees.
By the 2014 football season, however, renovations of this corner with new trees and enlarged walkways should be completed.
Wizened alumni rolling the wires were reflecting on the similarities of this event and the wires they had rolled decades ago in observance of victories past.
The Auburn wires recently strung up were almost nostalgic to them, reminding them of the power lines they used to roll.
The rolling of Toomer's isn't supposed to be a pitiful occurrence.
It isn't supposed to be even remotely sad.
It's not about what structure we're rolling --be it a tree or a wire -- but about why we're celebrating in the first place.
This tradition was never about the toilet paper, nor even solely about the sports team; instead, it was about uniting fans and players alike in honor of a shared love for Auburn University.
So after our next victory, I, for one, will proudly throw my toilet paper over the Toomer's wires, even if it does slide off to the other side.
I will not mourn the loss of the majestic history, but will rejoice in the moment.
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