A Final Thought to End 2011

I made a connection today, in my head. I often wonder what it is about the Carolina Lowcountry that inspires me and makes me feel so strongly, yet I’m never really able to pinpoint any concrete reasons that effectively convey why it’s such a special place to me. Or why I feel compelled to write about it. Or why I think anyone should care. There is, of course, this region’s inimitable charm and aesthetic, but for me, an appreciation for its beauty feels superficial and does not suffice as a complete explanation.

I read this article today about one of my best friend’s bands. They’re definitely my favorite local band, but partisanship aside, they’ve been able to make a name for themselves in a relatively short time, not because they are the best band ever (Alabama, hello) or because of some magical serendipity that brought four amazing musicians together, but because they love what they do. I mean they really love what they do.

When asked exactly why I think they are so good, pointing out each band member’s talents and their natural tendency to play for their audience never seems to sum up why I love them. Their contagious enthusiasm is authentic and interminable, evoking a feeling in their audience that is hard to ignore. So much so, that they have even succeeded in beguiling a rather reserved introvert with a seriously debilitating stage fright to join them onstage to sing a song. More than once. I may or may not be talking about myself… It’s because they make you feel something, pleasantly demanding you to enjoy their music to the fullest. After that thought, I realized I don’t need reasons to explain why they’re so good, because the pleasure you get from listening to them comes from that feeling they evoke. It’s like their passion for playing is osmotic and you can’t help but get on their level.

And that’s when I made my connection. There’s no rationalizing or reasoning with passion. I sit here and wonder what it is that moves me about the Lowcountry when instead, I should think about how to take those feelings and make something out of them. Passion is an energy that moves you to feel, something I think we all possess for something or another, but it’s those of us who can recognize it inside of themselves and then do something with it who are the luckiest. Like the guys in Cranford & Sons.

So as you go into this new year, I encourage you to find what it is you’re passionate about. Find what makes you really feel something and try to do something with it every day. You’ll come up with a million reasons not to, but reasoning is not what it’s about. If you think about it, all successful people do something they’re passionate about, and nothing great in the world has ever been achieved without it. I know it’s easier said than done–I’ve got bills to pay, expectations to meet and a life to live also, but wouldn’t it be awesome if all those things can be accomplished by doing something we’re passionate about? Just a thought.

Hope y’all have a Happy New Year!

Sentimentally Southern

“I have heard it said that an inoculation to the sights and smells of the Carolina Lowcountry is an almost irreversible antidote to the charms of other landscapes, other alien geographies. You can be moved profoundly by other vistas, by other oceans, by soaring mountain ranges, but you can never be seduced. You can even forsake the lowcountry, renounce it for other climates, but you can never completely escape the sensuous, semitropical pull of the Lowcountry and her marshes.”

To be wholly in agreement with this excerpt, I like to substitute “Charleston” in the last sentence with “the Lowcountry”, and though an author’s work should never be manipulated, in this case, I don’t think he would mind. I pulled this quote from The Lords of Discipline, a novel Pat Conroy wrote against the backdrop of the Holy City, but I’ve deduced from his other works that he feels the same of Charleston’s surrounding regions, which happen to include the island where I was raised.

I first read The Lords of Discipline in college, and even then, this quote was immediately underlined and bookmarked for future reference. It was the same time when I was beginning to understand how ingrained my childhood upbringing in South Carolina is embedded in my being, the same time when all the previous Pat Conroy novels I had read up until that point came full circle and made a little bit more sense.

I’m inspired by the South, though I have yet to determine the objectivity of my intrigue. Is it because it is a part of me, or do I allow it to be a part of how I define myself for its singularity?  In any case, there’s no place like it.

There are all the cliches like the hanging Spanish moss, salty breezes, palmetto trees, timeless traditions and college football (and the food!), but what’s most fascinating are those qualities true Southerners have that you just can’t quite put your finger on.  There’s a mysterious beauty in a place where etiquette shrouds the deepest of secrets, where chivalry precedes any action or declaration–both which seem to come from innate inclinations rather than learned courtesy. It’s that feeling you get on a walk through the Battery, where you just can’t help but become consumed by Charleston’s history. Or how it feels like the first time every time nature’s serenity captures you on a boat ride back from a day on the river, where the itch of the saltwater on your skin feels comfortable instead of bothersome while you try to beat the sunset home.

I once promised myself I’d leave this place as soon as I could, only to find myself back here a mere four years later. Pat Conroy’s words make me feel like maybe it’s not just because of personal circumstances, but perhaps also the result of something that we Lowcountry natives never stood a chance against. Though my passion for world and its myriad of people and cultures equalizes the spell the Lowcountry has cast on me, I will never not call this island home. I’ll leave for a while, for sure, but I’m just as sure I’ll find my way back here when I’m looking for a slower pace of life later on. It does something to your spirit to be raised amongst the pluff mudd and that cliched Spanish moss, and I’m not sure I should fight it if that’s a part of what makes me who I am.

I’ve recently become obsessed with Pinterest, and I’ve started a pin board so I can keep all the inspiring Southern things I see on the web every day in one place. Feel free to add to it here!

& Merry Christmas.

Just For Fun…

My posts on this blog can get pretty long, and sometimes kinda serious, so I decided I’d try to switch it up a bit by posting something a little on the lighter side where I could share with y’all some things about myself. Been thinking about Christmas presents for family and such (you’re laughing because we all know I’m the worst gift giver ever but I’m trying to improve!), and though these are things I like as opposed to what they like I’m sharing anyway. Maybe it’ll give you some ideas for your own holiday shopping!

1. Garden & Gun- I LOVE this magazine–everything about it is lovely. Every issue has awesome articles and gorgeous pictures that beautifully capture the essence of the South. Its clean and fresh design is aesthetically pleasing–flipping through each page, magazine in hand, is the kind of experience that can’t be replicated online. Plus, my favorite food writer John T. Edge is a contributor so you know it’s gotta be worthy!

2. Sushi- Ok yeah so sushi, whatever. I don’t know what’s been going on the past few months, but I’ve literally eaten sushi at least twice a week. The other day I thought about what it’d be like if we Americans were never introduced to Japan’s finest contribution to our culture; I figure I’d probably be malnourished and starving. If you’re on Hilton Head, try the Kitten Roll at Kurama’s–it’s sinfully indulgent.

3. Jack Rogers Montecarlo Linen Navajo- I don’t care that it’s Thanksgiving week and I’m posting a linen sandal as something you absolutely have to have. I don’t know where you are, but it’s in the 70′s on the island today and wearing Jacks is still perfectly acceptable. I don’t have these particular ones (yet), but I will say that if you don’t have a pair of Jack Rogers, get yourself some. They take a minute to break in, but when they do you’ll never wear another sandal ever again. At least, I haven’t since I got my first pair. This is one case where having a pair in every color should never be considered excessive.

4. Essie Nail Polish “Cocktail Bling”- I never used to paint my own nails, and I always was brand loyal to OPI but lately, Essie’s making me change my ways. Essie Polish doesn’t streak when you put it on, looks good after just one coat, and dries faster. And, there’s a color for everyone. This is my fav from the winter collection.

5. Lilly Pulitzer 2012 Agenda in “Beach Club Blue Nice to See You”- Surprise, surprise. Lilly Pulitzer made the list. Been using this agenda for the past year and it’s time to get a new one. Call me old-fashioned, but I still like writing things down in a planner instead of keeping a calendar on my computer. There’s something about writing a To Do list and then getting to cross it off when tasks are completed that makes me more productive than just using an app. I think I like this print best.

6. Levi’s 5 Pocket Legging Jeans- I’m obsessed with these jeans. I’ve never owned a pair of Levi’s and am pretty weird about ordering jeans online, but after reading rave reviews I decided to just do it. Piperlime does free shipping and returns, plus they’re priced at $60 which is pretty awesome. They have a nice color wash, are stretchy which makes them super comfortable and they fit all body types. I’m starting to get why Levi’s have been around for so long.

What are some of your favorite things?