Shalom from Mobile Alabama, where I was warmly greeted by modern day Southern Belles. For those who need a history refresher, Alabama sits squarely in the Deep South, and during the antebellum era, young and unmarried women in the plantation owning (slave owning) upper class fancied downing hoop skirts and feathery hats. Celebrating this time period is nostalgic and fun for many, but I was afraid “Southern Hospitality” would make me severely anxious and uncomfortable. Four generations ago my relatives were working the fields and probably not dialoguing favorably with the Southern Belles, but our nation has come so far in regards to freedom and equality.
Maybe there is a liberty or comfort you similarly enjoy… veterans, first responders, and faith leaders are the ones who make that enjoyment possible. And if you are wondering why I mentioned the culture of Mobile, then connected that with veterans, it is because one thing I wrote about in my book is veterans struggling to find their place in society, upon returning from a deployment or transitioning back to civilian life. In my hometown of Oceanside California, everything had changed while I was away, and several of my old “friends” moved on; some did not even open their door when I stopped by. That made me not want to live in California, but would the South be better?
Sometimes it is and sometimes not, but my Day Four Video shows I'm meeting folks who love our nations heroes, no matter what we look like.
