Monday, September 12, 2005

My Mississippi

Started this blog in the aftermath of Katrina. Mayhaps it will provide much needed therapy. Maybe not. Worth a try.

While I have lived in Texas the past 11 + years, I am a native Mississippian. If you don't know what that means, I can explain. Let me tell you about My Mississippi.

Parts of her are gone now - never to be again. Katrina is now part of her history - just as Camille has been for the last 36 years. Her people are downtrodden, hot, hungry and thirsty. Some are even defeated. But this will not last. We will pick ourselves up, bury our dead, rebuild and start anew. We will accept the goodwill of the world and we will eternally be grateful. My Mississippi will be vibrant, strong and once again, hostess to genuine southern hospitality and charm.

My Mississippi is the smell of freshly spun cotton candy mixed with the musk of livestock at the County Fair in September. My Mississippi is Saturday night football at Southern Miss with Brett Farve at the helm. My Mississippi is pine trees and magnolias. She is salty hot boat rides to Ship Island. She is church on Sunday, parades through down-town, and walking down Main Street and knowing the names of people you meet, their Mom's maiden name and remembering to ask how their second cousin made out on their 4-H project? My Mississippi is rodeos and little theaters. She is genteel Southern Ladies with lilting accents that easily transform any conversation into a soft melody. My Mississippi is educated, compassionate, talented, hard-working, proud, and will forever be home to the most wonderful folks on earth.

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