Where I'm From

Many of you reading this will get through scratching their heads, but some of you will recognize exactly everything I speak of.


I am from the rolling hills of the Pine Belt, from Browning shotguns, John Deere tractors, and grape soda.

I am from the big house in Agricola, riding horses, working cows, cutting grass and jumping in the pool, driving at the age of 8, crawfish boils, Delta hunting trips and working till dark.

I am from the magnolias, the crepe myrtles, the azaleas and all other fauna that made up our "little" flower beds.

I am from cemetery cleaning, MSU football games, Sunday afternoon westerns, green eyes, big hands and curly hair, from Johnny and Prissy, Pawpaw, Mimi, Granny, Pa-Pa, Na-Ma and Maw-Maw, from the O'Neals, Hattens, Davis, Greens, Lowerys, Chathams and Patricks.

I am from the stubborn, hard-headed, compassionate, hard-working, silly, determined, and opinionated.

From Ready Kilowatt, mysterious make-believe lands of my sisters, Sambo and Pa-pa's " Lion attack Scar", from Confederate and Southern pride and heritage.

I am from Buffy, Whiskers, O.J., Katie, Steve, Duchess, Trigger, Ginger, and Shelby, from cows I know by name, and rat killin cats.

I am from the Southern Baptists and their old time religion and Sunday morning Sing-A-Longs.

I'm from Mississippi, Scotland and Ireland. I'm from the Revolutionary War, the War of Northern Aggression, World Wars I & II, from rice and gravy and more gravy.

From the Sears toilet, Sinclair and Pi the Pirate, from the man who band directors fear but also mentored so many and the city girl in the house with white columns who snuck out of windows to avoid certain dates.

I am from the Other Place, the Property, the Gunter Place, the West Place, the Upper Pasture, the back 40 and way back yonder.

I am from Subway parking lot on Saturday nights, field parties, football practice, Friday night lights, mudding in the Bronco and "making the loop" .

I am from South Mississippi where every town bears a different seed and branch of me.

I am from good hard-working people with traditions old and new, from sorrow and joy, from loss and rebirth, I am from love and that's the only way I'd have it.