Conviction of Southern convictions

In my hometown there is a monument that stands strong and proud in the center of the lovely town square. It is a soldier who, somewhere long back in time, folks took to calling “Ol’ Joe.”

He has stood without incident for might’ near a hundred years through triumph and tribulation, including a devastating tornado in the spring of 1936 that leveled all around it, but still Ol’ Joe stood mightily and unwaveringly on his six-foot-high regal base of marble.

Because of the broad-banded hat he wears similar to those of Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders, I though he was placed in honor of the veterans of the Great War, which, admittedly, means World War I to America but to the South means another war entirely.

The other day when my dachshund, Dixie Dew, and I were taking our adventurous, daily walk, she scampered across the manicured lawn, past the garden benches and pretty shrubs and over to the stature. As she sniffed among the various scents in the grass, I read the engraving and realized I was wrong about which Great War it commemorates.

“Dedicated to Southern Conviction and Consecrated to Southern Valor. June, 1909.” On the other side, “Tell ye your children of it and let your children tell their children and their children another generation.”

So that’s what happened. Mama forgot to tell me – I knew she had something to do with it – so I thought it belonged to another war. But I found I liked very much that term “Southern Conviction” though to me, it means something much different than it meant to ones who carved it into that marble. As we finished our walk, I mentally made a laundry list of my Southern convictions. I suspect that are a whole lot more of you who can identity and offer a good “Amen” to what they are.

The Art of Southern Biscuit Making – Praise the Lord for Martha White, Crisco and buttermilk, three simple ingredients that can produce mouth-watering results.

The Enticement of Southern Hospitality – I am deeply convicted by the need to carry forth this mandate of our ancestors. Invite friends and wayward travelers in to the warmth of our homes then fete them with food and drink and give them a comfortable place to rest.

The Treasure of Southern Storytelling – Honestly, no one can tell a more spell-binding story than a Southerner who is influenced by our heritage, especially Celtic forefathers, and the King James version of the Bible. It is the language, pure and drawling, that lies easy on the ears of those who hear it. As folk art goes, it’s our treasure chest. It is an anointing that is given mainly to those of Southern disposition.

The Heart of Southern Graciousness – Please; thank you; Yes, ma’am; No, sir; hand-written thank you notes and a kind word to someone who needs it, lies at the center of this Southern conviction. It is quite simply the art of making others feel good about themselves so that they feel good about you. We do it well.

The Warmth of Southern Sympathies – That is to say when our compassions are with the troubled and heartbroken and that where there is a bereavement, heartache or an ailing neighbor, you will find one or more of our casseroles in the midst of the sorrow. We swear an oath to uphold the necessity of comfort food in times of distress. Cream of mushroom soup is a staple in our pantries.

Mostly, I carry a strong conviction to Southern womanhood and all it stands for: Tenacity in times of tribulation, humility in times of triumph, sensibilities in senseless times, humor in times when the joke is on us, faith in the Word in trying times and femininity at all times.

Yes, just like ol’ Joe, I stand strong and proud for my Southern convictions. God bless the South.