I'm not exactly your average bear, and by bear I mean southern belle. I prefer getting dressed up like a comfy pillow in lazy boy jeans paired with an over-sized tee to a sundress and heels. On a Saturday night, you're more likely to spot me sitting with friends in our regular corner booth tapping along to live music than out wine tasting. In my world, vacationing in the fall means trips to our alma mater to pile our plates high with tailgating treats and cheer on the nineteen-year-old football players who can't exactly hear us. That dreamy bed and breakfast getaway with the husband will just have to be scheduled for the dead of winter. I shy away from wearing make-up and my sister conducts a seasonal intervention in order to get me into the local boutique to buy the latest trendy must-haves. The all too familiar word "ain't" has been eliminated from my vocabulary. I fancy vegetables and will never take recipe advice from Paula Dean.
Even though the southern shoe doesn't fit like a glass slipper, I adore breathing in the charm every single day. It fills my lungs with a burst of energy but relaxation all at the same time. There is rarely a sense of urgency around these parts. We drag out our words which results in not repeating a sentence twice. Or perhaps we are just all on the verge of becoming the next great country music singing sensation to hit the air waves. We stroll at a snail's pace in order to take mental photos of the mystical landscape surrounding us and the faces we pass along our way. The autumn leaves change color a bit more slowly, but only to stay bold and vibrant for longer. Taking the time to strike up small talk with a stranger is our forte.
Over my thirty years of living here, I've discovered many hidden secrets to the south. Our buildings are lacking in height which comes in handy when viewing a fierce sunset. Driving up on a fruit and vegetable plus boiled peanut stand makes the heart flutter with excitement. The pure, crisp air should be bottled up and sold in all major retail stores. The surge of humidity following a southern shower gives us a respectable excuse to let our hair go up in frizz. Sweet tea and freshly snipped flowers are like honey for our souls. From spiffy business suits to overalls, tube tops to cardigans, skinny jeans to the occasional jogging suit, fashion is clearly what the individual makes of it and will rarely turn a head.
Southern living may seem a bit odd to some, but we have our reasons. Different strokes, right?