Southern by the Grace of God

"The South--where roots, place, family, and tradition are the essence of identity."
--Social historian Carl N. Degler

Southern women know bad manners when they see them:
~~~~~~Drinking straight out of a can
~~~~~~Not sending thank you notes
~~~~~~Velvet after February
~~~~~~White shoes before Easter or after Labor Day

Southern women appreciate their natural assets:
~~~~~~Dewy skin
~~~~~~A winning smile
~~~~~~That unforgettable drawl

Southern women know their manners:
~~~~~~"Yes, ma'am"
~~~~~~"Yes, sir"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions:
~~~~~~"Y'all come back!"
~~~~~~"Well, bless your heart."
~~~~~~"Drop by when you can."
~~~~~~"How's your mama?"
~~~~~~"Love your hair."

Southern women know their summer weather report:
~~~~~~Humidity
~~~~~~Humidity
~~~~~~Humidity

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August:
~~~~~~Summer tans
~~~~~~Wide brimmed hats
~~~~~~Adorable sandals
~~~~~~Strapless Sundresses

Southern women know everybody's first name:
~~~~~~Honey
~~~~~~Dahlin'
~~~~~~Sugah

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:
~~~~~~Driving Miss Daisy
~~~~~~Steel Magnolias
~~~~~~Fried Green Tomatoes
~~~~~~Gone with the Wind

Southern women know their religions:
~~~~~~Baptist
~~~~~~Methodist
~~~~~~Football

Southern women know their country breakfasts:
~~~~~~Grits
~~~~~~Country ham
~~~~~~Mouth-watering, homemade biscuits

Southern women know their p's &q's:
~~~~~~"P"ecan pie (pronounced "puh con" not pee-can)
~~~~~~"P"ralines (pronounced "praw-leens" not "pray-leens")
~~~~~~"P"unch

Southern girls know the four deadly sins:
~~~~~~Bad hair
~~~~~~Bad nails
~~~~~~Bad manners

Who knew that moving four hours north of my hometown would prove to be such a culture shock? While I moved into the rural southern mountains, this move has also brought me in contact with individuals from many other areas of the country. As a result, I've also encountered many hostile opinions about the South. Why I didn't encounter these same feelings in Atlanta, I'm not sure. I remember when I began my first job, my co-workers were surprised that I was actually from Atlanta, they were all from other areas of the country. They obviously found the South agreeable enough to move here. Perhaps its because this area is much different than the city. I will not deny I have met my own challenges here, but I feel they are the challenges of a rural area, not necessarily a Southern area.

One thing that I've found completely shocking is the absolute bluntness of those from the North, initially perceived by me as rudeness. But in my innately Southern quest to understand and be nice to people, I've learned that rudeness is not their intention. They were just raised differently. For instance, if someone from the North visits your hometown and did not enjoy it, they will not hesitate to tell you so. If a Southerner visits the hometown of a Northerner and did not enjoy it, they would still find something nice to say about the town. We do this not only because we would not want to hurt someone's feelings, but because we understand that the only thing worse than insulting one's Mama is insulting one's home. In the South, we value manners, family, God, education, genteelness, fashion, beauty, the arts, football, food, and laughter. Of course, these are things that everyone enjoys, but in the South we create a way of life around them.

I also understand that this is a generalization. There are many nice Yankees out there. And I'm not saying Yankees aren't nice (this is my Southern manners coming out, I don't want to hurt feelings). They're just different. I'm learning how to look past their mannerisms and find the goodness within. And, sadly, not all Southerns are nice. But, an exception does not make a rule.

Many people think Southerners are prejudiced. But I wonder how many of them have thought about the prejudice against Southerners that has been bred in them through history, movies, and television. How many of them had preconceived ideas about the South before they ever visited or met someone from here? I'm sure many Yankees have encountered hostility from some Southerners, and I'm not excusing this. But how would you behave towards a culture that characterizes you as slow and dumb? A culture that has determined that just because you were born in a certain part of the country, that your "simple" thoughts are somehow not as valid? I'm not sure this attitude is any better than judging someone based on the color of their skin. Just like I have put myself in the shoes of those from the North, I wish they would also put themselves in some Southern shoes. And since our weather is so warm and fabulous, feel free to slip on some strappy sandals.