I’m one of “those women”. You know, the kind of woman who grew up country and is very proud of it. I grew up in Coal City, Alabama. Whenever someone asks me where I’m from, I always say, “Coal City, Alabama…aka God’s Country.”
Country ain’t in the North. Country ain’t in the South. Country is in the heart. ~Unknown
I’ve traveled all over the world, but my favorite place in all the world is a little piece of ground on my homeplace. It’s peaceful, it’s serene, it’s happy and it’s a place I’m blessed to call home.
I grew up country. And I am so grateful that I did. I spent more time on dirt roads more than I did on paved ones. I spent more time in the barn than anywhere else and we lived close to nature.
But I know that just because I grew up in the country, it doesn’t mean that I am country. I know a lot of people who grew up country, but moved out of it as soon as they could. The call of the city lights was just too loud for some to ignore. And that’s okay.
You can’t force being “country” on anyone. It’s either in your heart or it isn’t. It’s either who you are or it isn’t.
When I was a young child, I thought everyone up north was in the city and everyone down south was country. I’m laughing. I know now that many folks up north are country and many folks in the south aren’t.
In today’s society, there are people who say that if you’re dressed a certain way, you are country.
But country isn’t cowboy/cowgirl boots, jeans, wearing camouflage, going to country music concerts or driving raised trucks. You may do all of these things and be country, but these things don’t make you country.
To me, being country is living a certain life because that’s what you know and love. It’s a set of beliefs about God, family, Country and helping your neighbors. It’s standing for what’s right even if you are standing alone and it’s about love of animals and love for land.
I love my life in the country and I have a grateful country heart❤️
Blessings to you from God’s Country!
Charity
Copyright © Charity M. Richey-Bentley 2018
I love and miss the country life, but kinda stuck in the city or town life now, which is fine…always enough good to make the bad seem not quite as bad…God working all things together for good to them that love Him, even the bad things about life whether in the city or not.. 🙂 <3 <3 <3
Thank you so much, Vivian, for your comment. I completely understand.