That Sweet Scent

Living in the South is a privilege that so many Southerners take for granted and so many outsiders just can't understand. There stereotypes that still strongly prosper in the South, such as grand, deep green magnolias with their colorless blooms, wrapping front porches adorned with rocking chairs, and, as is typical in small towns, the old men and women lounging on the front porch or in their recliners gossiping like they are still in high school. But, aside from these stereotypes, which are so often more true than most Southerners like to admit, there are the quaint nuances of living in the South that really make it worth a person's while to plant their roots well below the Mason-Dixon Line. While the sky here isn't quite as big as that of Texas, it still has an allure that draws you in. The way at sunset you can see every shade of pink imaginable, with the clouds and treetops dappling the horizon. And the cicadas loudly murmuring outside. The smell of honeysuckle and wisteria growing wild in the summer. God's nature beckoning for the well-deserved reverence it desires.

But not only is it the outside that lures strangers in and keeps the natives in this land, it's the inside as well. Grandma's sweet tea is brewing on the stove and you know it's ready for chilling when you hear that all-too-familiar high pitch whistle. Grandpa and Daddy are grilling hamburgers and barbeque in the backyard for a Saturday get-together. All the cousins are running through the yard and the house waiting to be called for supper. All the Momma's are in the kitchen attempting to help Grandma with the cooking, as she sweetly but sternly tries to push them out, needing no help because she's a seasoned veteran.

This is where you can come home with all your problems and lay them at the feet of Momma and Jesus and you know that everything will work out for the best. This is where you can lay your head at night and feel safe and sound and accepted. This is where the sweet scent of home sweet home floats on the air, letting you breathe it in with every breath.