G.R.I.T.S.

Most Southerners know grits are a yummy breakfast food and can be enhanced with a variety of condiments; cheese, sugar, bacon, butter, garlic, etc… We also know that G.R.I.T.S. is an acronym for girls raised in the South.

Having 3 daughters it is important to me that they grow up loving their southern home, but are knowledgeable of life outside these hills. Living in what many refer to as “God’s Country” it can be easy to close ourselves off to the rest of the world. I mean really we have it all in this little corner of North Georgia; beautiful scenery, colorful autumns, cold and snowy winters, warm springs, blazing HOT summers, supportive community, fabulous churches, little league, church softball, vegetable gardens, swimming pools, fresh lemonade, fried foods, BBQ, high school football, farms, sweet tea, cornbread, magnolia trees, and friendly loving people. Like all good southern mamas I try to expose the little ladies in our home to an array of cultures and offer an assortment of life experiences to ensure they grow up to be cultured and educated people. Loretta Lyn said it best, “You’ve got to continue to grow, or you’re just like last night’s cornbread- stale and dry.”

Well, it looks like I have failed at trying to avoid the little ladies of this house becoming G.R.I.T.S.

When these fine ladies showed up for their breakfast what else could I do, but pull out their great-grandmother’s china. After all they had “put on their faces” (that means they put on their make-up for any non-southern readers I might have) and gotten “all dolled up” (that means dressed up and accessorized) for breakfast. Boy! Ole’ Boy! Did they bring their southern accents and manners! Their “thank you’s” and “yes ma’ma’s were dripping from their lips like molasses this morning. Blythe was affectingly cooing to Brennan, “darlin’ give me some sugah” and the way it rolled off her tongue made my heart melt. Then, I cringed! Do I sound like that? Do I say those phrases and words?

As much as I deny that I have a southern accent my children are proof that I can “drawl” out vowels and add syllables as much as any other Southern lady. Hmmm, Southern lady… that is the cliché I was trying to avoid.

Though I know the truth about southern women, many people believe they are frail, simple, and ignorant. I don’t want people to think my children are frail, simple, and ignorant. The truth is Southern ladies are strong, weathered, enduring, hospitable and loyal, we retain pride and dignity, we are educated and intelligent, and we love God and our life. Being born below the Mason Dixon Line does not make you a Southern lady, being a Southern lady is more of a character trait or a combination of character traits.

So what do I do now? What do I do with these G.R.I.T.S. of mine?

Embrace it!

They are G.R.I.T.S. and they love grits. They are as beautiful as their grandmother’s pearls. They are as full of goodness and truth as their great-grandmother’s bible. They smell as good as magnolia blossoms. They are as strong as my iron skillet. They are as sweet as their daddy’s tea.

They have my heart! And Lawd ‘mercy I’d have a mess of ‘em if I could.