12 Sensations About The South

The South is frowned upon by many who have never lived here and spent the time to take in all it has to offer—its sounds, its untouched landscapes, its taste, its passion, its unpredictable weather, and its charm. The South is a region in America that is underappreciated and often misunderstood. But that’s OK. Its hidden beauty is what makes the South so special and what makes me proud to call it home.

1.

Sitting on a porch with a good book and an ice-cold drink in your hand.

2.

Listening to the hum of cicadas and air-conditioning units.

3.

Sweat dripping down your face as you breathe in the moist, sweet-smelling air.

4.

Hating every moment of the winter months except for those holidays that bring your whole family together.

5.

Listening to old family stories and eating meals made in your mother’s cast-iron skillet that never seem to taste as good anywhere else.

6.

Always being barefoot and feeling the hardwood floor of a well-used hallway under your callused feet or plush grass between your toes as you catch lightning bugs in a mason jar at dusk.

7.

Sprawling landscapes uninterrupted by society that become your playground. Endless cotton fields, the pollen-covered lake, that lazy bayou, and the sandy white beaches with their emerald shorelines.

8.

A hazy campus on a Saturday afternoon in the fall where pleasantries and insults are exchanged over a barbeque grill.

9.

The most colorful sunset you’ve ever seen.

10.

A sudden summer thunderstorm that ruins your afternoon outdoor adventure.

11.

The guy who fixes your car with a wire coat hanger when you’re stuck on the side of a country road.

12.

The politeness that will never leave you no matter how old you are.