Steel.....

I was asked several years ago, when I was in college by a friend, what exactly a 'southern belle' was. Well I answered to the best of my ability, at the time. Little did I know, my answer would years later be on a blog.....

There are the obvious things about southern women. We like big hair, fried anything. We say 'suga' and darlin' like no one's business. We know to cross our ankles in important settings and to keep our nails painted. We choose fine china and sterling silver flatware when we get married. We mind our manners and say 'Bless your heart' instead of something cruel. We don't believe in fighting, its considered trashy. And we always want to please everyone. That's the answer I gave to my friend. And while all of those things are true to southern belles and women....We are much more. We are deeper and stronger than simply hair and nails. Now 4 years later, I am still discovering my full answer to that very question. Here are my thoughts on what we southern belles are all about.

First and foremost, a southern belle always tries to look her best. Not because we are trying to impress anyone, but because it shows we take pride in ourselves. Lipstick is a must-have in our vanity. And we know that perfume should be sprayed so that we linger after our bodies have left the room. We are taught at an early age, how to walk in high heels AND cowboy boots. We sometimes are considered vain and snobby. But the truth be told, we aren't.

That's enough about the physical attributes of a southern belle. The deeper portion of us comes in with our strength. We know people have a tendency to depend of females more so that males. So with that in mind, we gather up our strength everyday and move forward. We don't live in Scarlett O'Hara's time so we won't have any 'fainting spells.' A southern belle knows that she is supposed to let a man think he is in control....When in reality, she is the one that is pulling the strings to control things. Its a fine art, stepping into the shadows and allowing the man to have his say all the while keeping your finger on things. Hard work is a must. We believe in holding a job AND having a home, husband, and family. Having a home is more than just cooking dinner and cleaning the bathrooms. A home is somewhere comfortable that people always know they can enter without expectations. Yes, the home is clean and well-kept. Might not be furnished with the finest, but its clean. A southern belle is always to be considered a lady.... We always know when to leave, just ask the women from Fried Green Tomatoes.

But the greatest thing about a southern belle is our compassion and grace for others. We are able to bite our tongues and put aside our feelings and forgive those who have hurt us. We reach out to those in need, forgetting our own. Paying attention to the little things in life is what we are truly good at.

After all, the word before magnolias is steel.....