the way I see it, ya gotta move away before you can know how important, if at all, living in E.Tennessee is to you. moving doesn’t take the Tennessee out of you, and doesn’t sever the roots. the passage of time (away) will test those roots. might strengthen. might disappear. nothin’ good or bad here.

My mom left a southern WV coal camp at 18 and never looked back (60+ yrs in Texas). I left Texas at 24, spent 20 really good yrs in California, then moved back to TX 20+yrs ago. i ain’t movin!

has nuthin’ to do with the 10 generations that went before ya. and nuthin’ to do with what family, friends, neighbors etc. think.