Southernality

Okay, I made the word up, but I think it's descriptive of those of the South. Those who were born in the South, have it from birth. Some people can acquire it, and some people, no matter how long they've lived here will never be anything but a Yankee. I know people born and bred south of the Mason-Dixon Line won't agree with me, but I believe this to be true.

Through no fault of my own, I was born with the shame of being a Yankee. It didn't matter that my ancestors, who came here before the Revolutionary War, settled for years in Virginia, then migrated into Tennessee and Kentucky. They finally settled in Missouri in the early 1800's. Missouri, as you might recall was a "slave" state. I'm not proud of that fact, just reminding you, my favorite reader, that it was. Every generation thereafter, was born in Missouri, until me. I was born in Pennsylvania. Southern Pennsylvania, but still north of the Mason-Dixon line. So because I had no say in the matter, I was born a (gasp!) Yankee!

At a very young age, my family moved to Florida. Okay, we moved to Miami, which is un-southern a southern city as I have ever seen. But, I recovered my heritage and discovered my roots.

I have long since declared myself to be a Southerner, by heritage and by choice.