2ND WRITING: HUGE FAMILIES/WHAT YOU LEARN / THE SOUTHERN WAY

I GREW UP IN A VERY LARGE FAMILY. IN MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY I HAD 4 BROTHERS AND SISTERS, BUT I ALSO HAVE IN EXCESS OF 50 FIRST COUSINS AND 21 AUNTS AND UNCLES, PLUS ALL OF THEIR MATES.THE SECOND LINE OF COUSINS GET'S REALLY CONFUSING SINCE MY MOTHERS COUSINS MARRIED MY DAD'S COUSINS , WHICH MAKES THEM MY DOUBLES. I FINALLY REALIZED I NEEDED  TO LEAVE THE COUNTY TO DATE..LOL. BUT OH WHAT FUN WE HAD GROWING UP. FAMILIES ARE SOMETHING WE CANNOT BUY, CAN'T CHOOSE AND SOMETIMES WISH WE COULD IGNORE, BUT LIKE IT OR NOT THEY ARE OURS. NONE OF MY FAMILY IS RICH, NONE HAVE DONE ANYTHING THAT WOULD ROCK ANYONE'S WORLD , BUT THEY ARE ALL MINE AND I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE GROWN UP IN A HUGE FAMILY AND VERY PROUD TO HAVE GROWN UP SOUTHERN.
    WHAT I'VE LEARNED FROM GROWING UP SOUTHERN AND IN A BIG FAMILY. I'VE LEARNED THAT IF YOU DIE SOON ENOUGH YOU WILL HAVE GREAT ATTENDANCE AT YOUR FUNERAL, AND THE FOOD WILL BE FANTASTIC. I'VE LEARNED THAT MOST OF US COOK MUCH BETTER THAN YANKEES DO. NOW IF YOU ARE A YANKEE WITH SOUTHERN ROOTS CHANCES ARE YOU ARE A GREAT COOK TOO, CAUSE YOU WERE FORCED AT SOME POINT TO LEARN THE ART OF SOUTHERN FRIED EVERYTHING. I LOVE THE FACT THAT I HAVE COUSINS IN MANY STATES AND IF I'M TRAVELING THROUGH ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CALL. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE ARE ALL CLOSE EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T SEEN ONE ANOTHER IN YEARS. I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR BLOOD RUNS DEEP AND THAT WE CAME FROM VERY HEARTY STOCK. YES THAT DOES SOUND LIKE I'M REFERRING TO LIVESTOCK OF SOME SORT, BUT I AM ALSO THANKFUL THAT WE TALK IN LITTLE METAPHORS THAT ONLY SOUTHERNERS UNDERSTAND. I REMEMBER WHEN I WORKED IN HOUSTON TEXAS AND MANY OF MY CO-WORKERS WERE FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY AND FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. MY LITTLE SAYINGS WOULD CRACK THEM UP, THEY WOULD SAY WHAT THE ---- DID YOU JUST SAY??? I REMEMBER ONE TIME I REMARKED THAT MY HAIR LOOKED LIKE A BUSTED BAIL OF HAY, NO ONE HAD EVER HEARD THAT EXPRESSION, BUT I HAD HEARD IT ALL MY LIFE. I'M GLAD THAT EVERYONE HERE SPEAKS MY LANGUAGE. HOWEVER HAVING TRAVELED A GREAT DEAL MADE ME REALIZE JUST HOW DIFFERENT OUR SOUTHERN CULTURE ACTUALLY IS. I WOULD NOT TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING. I THINK OUR WORK ETHIC, OUR DEDICATION TO GOD AND FAMILY AND OUR ABILITY TO CREATE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT. I AM SO GLAD I GREW UP POOR AND MISSISSIPPI, IT GAVE ME GRIT AND FORTITUDE AND I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
     NOW I WANT TO HERE SOME OF YOUR BIG FAMILY STORIES, WHY YOU THINK IT'S GREAT TO BE SOUTHERN. WE WILL TALK AGAIN TOMORROW.