30 Days of Thankful - Day 14

Today I am thankful for getting to grow up in the South. I've never lived anywhere else, but I've decided on four things that make the south unique from everywhere else. 1) The people. People in the south are so friendly. Strangers ask about your day, start conversations, share their lives with you in the checkout lane. It's just a way of life. I love the middle aged country man who says, "Yes ma'am" to me multiple times in a conversation. People are naturally courteous and seem to care about your well-being. Friendliness can be found elsewhere, but I find you must look for it and make it happen yourself. It's not so readily "available." People seem more trusting in the south, more ready to share themselves. 2) Family. There is something to be said for being in a place where your ancestors lived. For walking down small town streets where your grandmother once walked as a child. To know that the homestead where your great-great-great grandparents raised their family is a drive away. It draws you to a place like no other. 3) Food. I can drive down a stretch of highway on any given day and see countless local food stands. People sell their veggies in front of their driveway. It makes me happy to see people sharing their abundance and growing their own food. I love visiting my grandmother's house and getting to eat REAL Southern food; food she's slaved over and made from scratch. There's something heartwarming about biting into a homemade biscuit verses one out of the can. Also in the South, we make the best BBQ, there's no doubt about it. You won't find it anywhere up north like it is down here. And lastly 4) The landscape. The South boasts tall pines, red dirt, and kudzu. Rolling hills, long summers and winters, and fields of grass through the country. These things remind me where I am, where I came from. They comfort me. All in all, the South is special. If you take out the obnoxious football fans and the fact we all could lose a few pounds, we're pretty awesome. I know that wherever life takes me, I will always have a home here.