Funny how life interrupts and you lose all sense of time! I have been a slacker...I have run my household...done both of my jobs...but I have neglected my blog! So very much has been going on and having the luxury of "extra time" has not existed...at all!
I want to say a few things about the graciousness of our Southern Culture. Few from this day and time can wrap their heads around Southern Gentility. It is only found in true Southern Homes. It is often made fun of...mocked. Our accents render joke after joke. Our affinity for "religion" makes most shudder. We tend to be conservative in our beliefs, personal and political. Our older generations are Democrats...not liberals. It is a belief held onto from the days of FDR and Kennedy, when things were so different. Help your fellow man...be a good steward.
Our daughters still wear smocked, linen or ankle length dresses (or all three) and sport the biggest satin bows one can find. Our sons wear "short pants" also smocked or linen (or both). We go to church on Sunday morning. Our babies are dedicated, which gives us the excuse to put them in gorgeous, flowing christening gowns. We still have covered dish luncheons on the church grounds. If you do not know all stanzas of Amazing Grace, something is TERRIBLY wrong with you and if you do not know of God's love and abundant mercies and grace...we pray for you.
When our daughters become engaged, their registry includes fine china, crystal and flatware. EVERYTHING is monogrammed. Weddings are traditional and meaningful, spending entirely too much on flowers and favors. We might even have a copy of Amy Vanderbilt or Emily Post's Etiquette books hidden somewhere! There is a proper order to all events! We still have stationery and calling cards...we still write thank you notes...we still MAIL invitations and expect an R.S.V.P., and are appalled that people don't know what R.S.V.P. means! We still have family portraits made and they are often reproduced in oil. We love the theatre and a good symphony.
We know how to throw a party, from simple to the elaborate. Everything will be coordinated...we have McCarty or Peter's, we shop from catalogue parties and we love antique stores. We are always swapping recipes and we love hand-made kitch. There is never anything like sitting outside in the shade visiting with our older generation, learning about the good ole days...we love our Maws, Grans, Mamaws, Mimis and Amaws...our Papaws, Papas and Pops!
When we cuss, we immediately ask for God's forgiveness...AND when we speak unkindly of others..."Please forgive me Lord!" We are opinionated and expect you to have manners...No elbows on the table, rest your hand in your lap while eating,do not expel gas unless you are in private....We embrace the culture of our past and try to know who Falkner and Welty are and try to read at least one of their books so we aren't too lost. We regret slavery or if you are like me are so glad your family was so poor they WERE the slaves, and had absolutely nothing to do with it!
We care about our appearance...we love sweet tea...a fried piece of meat isn't so bad...vegetables are terribly important (black eyed peas, cabbage, fried okra, tomatoes). You MUST have bread on the table, preferably cornbread, and there must also be a dessert. Becoming "disorderly" after partaking of the spirits is frowned upon and you will be ill-spoken of if you become so! We hunt and fish...we are WELL armed and we might even have a few dead animal heads hanging around!
We revere our universities, always arguing which one is better...Hotty Toddy ;p. Football is definitely a religion and baseball runs a close second. We tailgate... and we Rebels must dress very well to attend a football game. We must also have a well decorated tent which often includes chandeliers and linens with coordinating tableware!
All this to say, we have pride...half of me is Yankee and I suppose if my father had lived I might be less southern...nah...However, he did fall in love with the South and sweet tea and fried chicken and Church. I can not imagine not living in Mississippi...nor do I ever want to live anywhere else...I don't mind going to visit other places, but this has been my home since I was 6...North Mississippi. I love it, I love the "backwardsness" of it...I love that it is slow paced...I love that everyone loves everyone and that folks that aren't from here don't "get it".
So there you have it...you can make fun of my pearls, monograms and antiques. You can mock my southern drawl and the fact I have manners. You can say things about my conservative beliefs...but it won't change who I am and it certainly won't make me dislike you. See I will just go on and pray for you and say "Bless you heart!"
Love to you all!
Monica
