The real question is, what DON'T I like? Being a Texan is more than a simple matter of residence, it is a state of mind and an affair of the heart. I am so fortunate to not only be a Texan, but to also have the ability and the desire to dwell both in the city and in the country, as do many Texans. Whether we come from Brownsville, Houston, Amarillo, Post, Lufkin, Marfa, Seadrift, or San Antonio, we know what it means to love this state. I could literally write a novel just listing the wonderful things about this state, but it's all been said before, and Texans get it, without such platitudes even needed. If you've gazed upon the 100+ foot tall statue of Sam Houston between Conroe and Huntsville, if you've tubed down the Guadalupe, if you've eaten shrimp fresh off the boat in Port O'Connor, if you've boot-scooted at Gilley's or Gruene, if you've seen the Cadillac ranch, if you've attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, if you've stood in awe at the sight of the San Jacinto Monument, if you've had the good fortune to greet the bluebonnets along rural lanes each spring, then you know. The drive I have to work can't be beat, as I can visually feast upon bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, gallardia, yucca, wild turkey, deer, armadillos, and other sights that no other state could produce all in one place. From the mountains of West Texas to the coastal shores of the Laguna Madre, from the Llano Estacado to the Hill country, from the grapefruit groves of the valley to the bustling freeways of Houston, Texas is every place and its own country.
Here is the best time to let the music speak, as words just don't seem to convey what is felt so strongly in the heart. If you're not a Texan, then you just wouldn't understand. If you are a Texan, fall to your knees and thank your lucky stars.
Happy Independence Day, Texas!
Here is the best time to let the music speak, as words just don't seem to convey what is felt so strongly in the heart. If you're not a Texan, then you just wouldn't understand. If you are a Texan, fall to your knees and thank your lucky stars.
Happy Independence Day, Texas!
I remember my grandpa playing and singing "Waltz Across Texas" to me as a child. He was a honky-tonk man, working days for the City of Houston, and playing nights in beer joints and weekends at Goode Company Barbecue for a few extra bucks with Pappy Selph and the Blue Ridge Playboys.
Truth be told, he played because he loved being a musician. I miss you, grandpa, and you will never know how much I love you. I wish you were here to celebrate the Independence day of your beloved Texas.
You ask me what I like about Texas? "Well, I could tell you, but we'd be here all night long..."
2 comments:
Not much I can add. Texas is my life. The South Coast is my country. The music here is the thread that makes the fabric that is my life. Thank you dear friend for the reminder.
As always, you are most welcome, Pilot.
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