The Roots of a Southern Hook

As I've stated before, we are Southern Hooks because we are "hooked" on the Southern Life and our families are the ones who "hook" us.  I thought I'd take a minute and introduce my Southern Hook grandparents.  Everyone meet D B and Sarah Massey, and yes that's a little JD in Pawpaw's arms.  You may now snicker.

I owe so much of my "Hooks" nature to them.  You see, Pawpaw was the first person to ever put a little Zebco 33 in my hand and Mamaw gave me my first bite of fried catfish.  We would spend summers camping in the "trailer" on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and weekends at some of the beautiful parks around the South. We went through shrimp for bait and shrimp for supper.  Pawpaw and I decimated Vienna sausages and potted meat eating lunch on the banks of the river or a lake tucked back somewhere.  Sunday after-church lunch was fried chicken and mashed potatoes.  Pawpaw and I would spend afternoons in his downstairs wood shop building bookshelves and furniture that never turned out exactly right, but Mamaw would praise our craftsmanship none the less.  Firefly catching, picking figs and collecting pecans (all from the backyard) were a priority!  And I learned to pray from them both.  A deep reverence and respect for God and the wonderful world he has created for us was instilled deep in my heart thanks to their guidance.  I was getting a grounding in the Southern lifestyle.  I've carried those lessons and more throughout my life.

Both have passed into a much better place now.  However, I can still hear their words in my heart.  On the cool evenings fishing I can hear Pawpaw whisper to me, "Throw over there.  I saw a swirl."  I walk into the kitchen and can smell Mamaw's turnips and cornbread cooking and my mouth instantly waters.  The lessons permeate my life.  I do my best to pass these lessons on to my own little Hooks now.  I can look in their eyes and hear their words and I am instantly that little Hook seeing and hearing the same thing.

Take a minute and thank those who have ingrained the Southern Lifestyle in your heart and soul.  Listen to their words. Cherish the moments with them.  Most importantly...pass it on.

Stay Southern, Hooks.

- JD