If you have a slow Southern drawl while saying, “nawl and y’all,” chances are you’re from the South — I reckon.

Or perhaps, if War Eagle or Roll Tide strikes your fancy, it’s likely you’re from “Sweet Home Alabama.”

We don’t take football lightly!

And if your Mama spoke Southernology to you such as, “We’re fixinto go, so go over yonder and sit down. I’m tellin ya Daddy! Because I said so, that’s why! You wutten raised in a barn! I’m gettin tha switch! Quit that whinin!” Bless your heart, you’re probably a Southerner.

Related Reading: How Words of Wisdom from My Mother Impacts My Life

Or if you picked and shelled peas, familiar with the following tobacco products: Red Man, Red Top Snuff, and SKOAL and you’ve never forgotten the smell of a chicken house or the sound of a cotton gin, the South courses through your veins.

And lastly, if you live by these Southern commandments, you’re definitely from my neck of the woods.

Thou shalt say ma’am and sir.
Thou shalt respect your elders.
Thou shalt have manners.
Thou shalt go to church.
Thou shalt deer hunt and fish.
Thou shalt say grace at the dinner table.
Thou shalt not work on Sunday.
Thou shalt drink sweet tea.
Thou shalt eat fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread.

Born and bred a small town Alabamian country girl, there are things that I’ve learned to appreciate and love about the Heart of Dixie.

Country Living
There’s nothing like being a kid in the South. My childhood was a fun country living experience at its finest. Summers consisted of sitting on my Grandmother’s front porch eating watermelon, getting wet with the water hose or jumping into a creek, riding the tractor with my dad or Uncle while they plowed or bush-hogged the fields, shooting a BB gun with my brother and driving our go-cart as fast as we could, and walking through my Grandmother’s pasture daring each other to touch the electric fence.

Southern Food
Let’s face it, when it comes to good old-fashioned soul food, we Southerners are the reigning champions. From perfectly seasoned fried chicken to homemade buttered biscuits, nothing beats Southern fixins with all of the trimmings. There’s nothing like a Southern Mama who knows her way around the kitchen. My mom use to say, “I’m about to throw down in the kitchen.” And did she ever! Holidays were the best which brought family and tradition together. Our dinner table featured a rainbow of colors (macaroni & cheese, collard greens, yams, potato salad, ham, and red velvet cake).

Nuff said.

Hospitality
No matter where you go in the South, you’re guaranteed that a random stranger will strike up a conversation as if they’ve known you for a lifetime. We like to acknowledge your presence with a nice nod, even if we don’t know you. We will hold a door open for you, a gentleman will tip his hat off and say hello, and while you’re shopping in a Piggly Wiggly, surely you’re going to run into someone you know, and they’re going to ask about your family (from your Grandmother to your fourth cousin).

History
“Sweet Home Alabama,” she certainly lives up to her name. There’s a great combination of charming towns throughout the state that are rooted in deep tradition. She’s rich in history — the landmark of the Civil Rights Movement that’s woven into the very soul of the city of Montgomery. Though her past is tragic, her strength to withstand oppression, racism, and inequality represents determination for equal rights for all people.

There are countless things to love about the South. Whether you’re relaxing, and sipping on lemonade in a rocking chair on a wraparound porch enjoying the sunset, or baking buttered biscuits at sunrise, there’s no place like home.

I’m thankful for Southern living.

What do you love about the South?