Southern Belle-ish in Feeling like Sybil

I’m a southern girl, born and raised, and apart from one year spent in northern California back in my early 20s, I’ve been living in The Natural State purt near all my life.

I’m proud to be a southern girl. And aside from all this flag business going on right now, I will always be proud of that.
Let me tell you why.

I love hearing the words “Yes ma’am” and “No sir” from not only our children, but from other adults as well. It does not offend me to have someone call me “ma’am”. It is a sign of respect.

I love politeness. Waving at strangers you pass by. Holding doors for others. Letting people in front of you in the grocery line or in traffic. It’s just nice and down here, it’s a way of life.
And when the occasion calls for it, which it sometimes does, we will “bless your heart” in such a way you won’t know we are bitch slapping you figuratively.

I love high school and college football. It’s way more exciting than that ole’ Pro stuff on tv. Going to the games wearing your teams colors, cheering from the stands, knowing the players on the field… now THAT’s entertainment! #woopigsooie

I love my food cooked. Preferably on a grill. *notice, I said on a “grill”. Not on a bbq. “BBQ” is a flavor, not a cooking apparatus. You put bbq sauce or rub on your meat that you are going to grill. You don’t eat “grill potato chips”. You eat “bbq potato chips”. Unless you are an Aussie and can use that cute phrase “shrimp on the barbie”, just stop it!! You cook bbq on a grill. (You can use the verb form “we are bbq-ing” to mean you are using the bbq flavor on the meat you are grilling. “Grilling” is also the verb form of cooking something on THE GRILL. )
And none of that raw stuff for me either… no sushi or sashimi or rare meat. Cook that meat til it’s done please!

I like dressing up for dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I can live in my pj pants and tshirt all day, but when it comes time to eat, especially if you are going out or to someone’s home, put on some clothes! Nice ones! And take that dadgum hat off your head when you enter a house! If there’s a ceiling over your head, your hat comes off. It’s just that plain simple.

I love that I know my neighbors. That I can run over to borrow a cup of sugar, or glass of wine, if I’m out. That they will take care of my pets should I go on vacation, and collect the mail for me. That we stand at the fence and talk in the evenings and wave as we drive by each others’ houses. It’s nice.

And we take care of each others’ kids… babysitting when they are little, watching out for them as they get older and ride around the neighborhood on their bikes and scooters, later keeping an eye out on who is bringing whom home after school or on dates. Not in that nosey way… just watching out for all our kids’ well being.

We take care of each other… whether there’s a death in the family, a new baby arrives, new neighbors descend upon our neighborhood…you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll be there with a casserole and a cake. It’s just what you do.

And speaking of eating… don’t count out those church potlucks once a month. Everyone brings their favorite covered dish (or a bucket of chicken if you are like me and don’t cook much), and we share in the bounty together. Your church family is your extended family. In this day and age of mobility where people move away from their immediate family to take jobs or go to school, finding a good church family is a vital part of becoming involved in the community. Those people take you in and take care of you. They become your lifeline sometimes. Don’t take that for granted! And much like with your neighbors, they help you with your kids, bring you casseroles when you are sick or have a new baby or lose a family member. They are there for you.

And how can I forget the weather. Sure…it gets a bit hot in the summer. And oh the humidity! But we, for the most part, do not have to deal with snow drifts and blizzards, having only to put up with icy roads for a day or two out of the whole year. Sure, we close school at the first sight of a snow flurry, but that’s because it’s the only time we’re going to see any so we want to be home to take advantage of it! It’s fleeting and thank goodness so! This girl does not like the cold and gladly trades months on end of below 40 degree weather for a couple months of 95-100 degrees in the summer. You may say you can always add more clothes in the winter to get warm… but once these old bones get cold and achy, they don’t thaw til spring! (Which thankfully usually starts the end of February!)

So ok.. the north may have a lot of good things going for it. I know there are nice people and beautiful places up there, too. But for crimeny’s sake… could you please add some sugar to your tea and cornbread, pour that chocolate gravy on your biscuits, and relax a little. We may take life at a slower pace down here, but that’s because it gives you more time to enjoy it!

Last updated June 24, 2015