Happy V.Day/Reason's I Love the South

Happy Valentine's Day! I saw this on the Southern Living Facebook page and thought I'd do the same. In honor of today I want to write down some reasons I love the South! 

What could be more Southern than to obsess about being Southern?!  Here are a few of my reasons I love the South....feel free to share yours on my wall as well.

• Cast-iron skillets are passed down just like the family silver....Cornbread, enough said.
• Our children know to say "yes sir" and "no, ma'am."
• Simply add "Bless your heart" or "Isn’t that precious immediately prior to or after an insult and you absolve yourself of any offense.
• Southern woman wear pearls like we were born in them....pearls are perfect for every occasion...yes, even to go to the grocery store.
• We break out the silver for book club, Bunko, and even tagilagting!
• Mac 'n' Cheese is a vegetable.
• People know it's always right to hold a door open ... even when the person is 30 feet away!
• We still appreciate a handwritten thank you note ... or love letter.
• A piece of mama's apple pie cures what ails you (even heartbreak!)
• GRITS!!!!!!!!!!!
• Our accents....everyone, eventually, wants to have one.
• We wouldn't think of leaving our house without lipstick!!
• After church, Sunday suppers, where we reconnect with family and friends.
• Southern girls don't drink...we sip...a lot!
• Tea does not judge itself...people judge the tea.
• Football is a religion, not just a sport, and games are WORTH fighting over.
• Our Southern Hospitality: At first it seemed phony, and certainly there is some pretense at times, but the reality is people are generally nicer in the South. We really are hospitable.
• Faith and culture...as with hospitality, the influence of religion on southern culture sometimes feels fake. It’s sometimes hard to see past the veneer of the Bible Belt to what people really believe. Moreover, it’s not uncommon to hear people use words like “God” “blessing” and “Jesus” in a conversation about politics, culture, or the news. If you didn’t grow up with this, it can be overwhelming.
• People in the south smile at each other, even if they don’t know each other.
• The weather....sometimes we forget how lucky we are to live in an area with distinct seasons. The weather here is warm and mostly pleasant....It is supposed to be cold at Christmas, Spring should smell like freshly cut grass, Summer should be hot as blazes, and Fall should be breathtakingly beautiful. Living in Tennessee, I get the opportunity to experience all four seasons without freezing to death.
• College sports: Professional sports are ok, but there is nothing like the thrill of college sports, and they reign supreme in the true south.
• Pace of Life: Who needs all that hustle and bustle? Mosey somewhere for once (look it up), it will help you digest your fried Twinkie.
• We believe in protecting our family's come hell or high water.

I hope you all have a great Valentine's Day.  I hope you all leave reasons why you love the south as much as I do.....I'm going to end with this awesome quote I once read. 

"Growing up Southern is a privilege really. It's more than where you're born, it's an idea and state of mind that seems imparted at birth. It's more than loving fried chicken, sweet tea, college football, beer, and country music. It's being hospitable, charming, and respectful while having strenght, grace, and a genuine love for our family and our land. We don't become Southern, we're born that way."

RGL