My Mississippi is nothing like that! My Mississippi is a place whose namesake was anointed to a mighty river, the largest river in North America as a matter of fact. A place were riverboats churn and trains whistle. This is a place where a story teller with a slow southern drawl lures you in and holds you for awhile with a tale so outrageous it must be true. It's the place that birthed Eudora Welty, William Faulkner, Willie Morris, Shelby Foote, Alice Walker, Richard Wright, Stephen Ambrose, Walter Anderson, and John Grisham. People whose works are not only considered masterpieces, but whose words stood for and affected social change. My Mississippi cuddled Jim Henson as he dreamed of Miss Piggy and Kermit. In my Mississippi, the blues of B.B King rolls into our ears, warms our souls, and spreads smiles onto our faces. It's a place where our hips still shake to the beat of an Elvis song.Our eyes gaze upon fields of snow white cotton fields, not forgetting the past, but grateful for the present. It's a place were pine trees reaching for the heavens replace skyscrapers, magnolia's burst into bloom, and mockingbird's sweetly sing. My Mississippi is a place were fried chicken and mashed potatoes, shrimp and grits, tomatoes sandwiches, and sweet tea are on the menu at restaurants and at your best friend's house. It is a place were we brew our own booze and call it Lazy Magnolia. It boast outstanding plantation homes that hold an aura of mystery as to the skeletons in their closets. After all, what fun would it be for a southerner to live in a place with no secrets. In this place, hospitality and gossip abound with hugs and kisses and "ya'll come on in." My Mississippi is an innovative leader in Polymer Science, and tests rockets for NASA at Stennis Space Center. Fun can be found in catching lighting bugs, jumping into a creek, or stomping through a mud puddle. In my Mississippi, Eagles, Bulldawgs, and Rebels fight for a touchdown on Saturdays. Sandy white beaches glitter beneath my feet and draw me into the Mississippi Sound where bottle-nose dolphins play, fishing abounds, and the sun turns us a toasty brown. My Mississippi wraps me in a blanket of warmth and sings me to sleep with the song of a cicada. So come on in, ya'll, to my Mississippi.
I loved to hear about your Mississippi.
Until next time...
XOXOXOXOX
