Texan Pride

It’s funny. When I lived in Texas, I rarely brimmed with Texan pride. Not like my sister and brother-in-law. Their house is a small shrine to the Lone Star State, complete with large tin stars and posters of Texas history. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Texas. It’s home. But I guess I just always thought of it as normal. Nothing uber-special.

However, anytime I have moved away from Texas, something shifts in me. All of a sudden, I become the Texas poster child! Being an expatriate of Texas (that’s right, I said expatriate…everyone from Texas knows that it is actually its very own country), I have come to realize just how special my home state is. So today, I’d like to share some of my favorite things about Texas.

· The Flag. Isn’t she a beauty? That Lone Star implies so much. It is rugged individualism. It is strength and silence. It is the courage to stand alone and to stand tall.
· Pick-up trucks. On Texas roads and highways, they are as ubiquitous as the love bugs that collect on their bumpers. In California, I only see a few...and I miss them! They are so manly, so cowboy! I’m partial to the Ford F-150. Nice lines.
· The license plates. When I moved to L.A., it was exciting to put on my new plates, but sad to take off my Texas ones. I saved one of them, and it now decorates my cubicle at work. It’s the best conversation piece! It got the most comments the day after the Rose Bowl when Texas “wooped” USC!
· The accent. There are different accents in Texas. But the nice, slow-talkin’ sound of a Texas accent is missed here in the land of fruits and nuts.
· The attitude. Texan friendliness is just the best. The highways even have signs that say “Drive Friendly”. Not until you leave Texas do you realize how nice the people are. (Special note to my family and friends in Texas: I love you and miss you! I think of you more than you realize.)
· The wild flowers. Every spring, God clothes nature in its Sunday best with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes. Stunning.

“God bless you, Texas,
And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth
Throughout the ages long.”
-From “Texas, Our Texas”