I'm Southern.  Okay, more importantly, I am Appalachian.  There's a difference.  It may be subtle to some "viewers", but those in the throes know the difference.  I'll regale you with those subtleties another day.  I do recognize that my perception on that front may be blurry, due to family idiosyncracies.  However, I'm counting on those things to have influenced the following list.

It is a list of things that stir my soul, and I invite all of you out there to send me 5 things (at least) that stir YOUR soul. 

In no particular order:

1.  Appalachian music.  Heard at many local venues, this can put me in tears in no time.  You had to know my grandparents to understand why.  And if it is "Amazing Grace", you will only see my back.  This was sung, spontaneously, a capella at my baby's funeral service on the hill behind my family home.   I run like a deer when I hear it. 

2.  Creeks.  Today I drove up East Miller Cove Road to look for my lost dog Nelson.  I had a call from an elementary school near there telling me that they thought they had him, but it turned out to be a false alarm.  It was a female boxer, but, as one woman told me, she may have seen Nelson farther up the road.  So up I drove.  Along that narrow road, you cross the creek a number of times.  Every time, it is a marvel.  Where has that water been?  Where is it going?  What wildlife lives between those banks?  Could anything be more compelling than a wild stream, choosing its own path, and running free?  I could have parked and listened to the sound until daylight faded away, but… I had 3 kids in the car wondering why in the world Mommy was driving up this strange little road.

3.  Any discussion about voluntary abortion.  In July of 2005, I was told that the precious baby I carried was dead.  I had longed for and prayed for and desperately wished for that baby for almost 5 years and when I discovered he was expected, I was still shocked.  It seemed like the biggest gift ever given.  He was not planned, but was wanted more than life itself.  He apparently died at 16 weeks gestation, and was born dead at 17 weeks -- July 9th, 2005.  His umbilical cord, meant to be the aquifer of life, was the instrument of his death.  I held that tiny baby, and looked into his face.  I cradled him and looked at him with wonder, because, even at 16 weeks gestation, he was beautiful and complete.  All the little fingers and toes that we mothers count so anxiously were present and accounted for.  He had everything he needed to survive except time.  He needed more time.  My body committed the ultimate betrayal.  But God was merciful beyond measure and 2 months later, I was blessed to be pregnant again.  Past the age of 40, my chances were 1 in 10, but God doesn't have to give a hoot about statistics.  As my beloved friend from Ghana, Jeffrey Anto, was fond of saying when I knew him some 18 years ago:  "God is alive."  Yes, Jeffrey.  God IS alive. 

4.  My baby Devon, born June 1st, 2006.  Any time of any day, in any circumstance.  I never stop being surprised, amazed, bedazzled or enchanted by him.  And that sense of wonder translates, somehow, to my other, older children.  I see them now from the roots of their hair to the new growth of their fingernails and know that everything I do -- every single, tiny, meaningless, little trivial thing -- is important. 

5.  Bulldozers.  Graft.  Corruption in government.  All 3, hand in hand.  It happens every day in Blount County.  Why does this bother me so much?  Because I understand my fellow citizens of paradise.  They don't believe in open confrontation.  They do believe that the common man is powerless.  Maybe we really are all powerless -- individually.  But together, we are "anything but".

6.  Grits.  But only you people who eat them WITHOUT sugar understand this one.  Must be eaten with butter, salt and pepper. 

7.  Cornbread.  If your recipe contains any appreciable amount of sugar, abandon!  Should be served with a glass of milk and if you're shooting for true authenticity, ground up in it and eaten with a spoon.  (Real die hards do this with buttermilk, but YUCK.)   

8.  Sweet tea.  Note:  Unsweetened tea with white sugar added to the glass does not equal sweet tea. 

9.  Decoration Day.  Held once a year, this defines "family" to most Appalachians. 

10.  Cornmeal gravy with giblets.  Need I say more? 

So what stirs your soul?

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Posted by DrHibiscus

Dad2Three will have to forgive me for going all girly on you here, but it doesn't take much to stir my soul. No - that's not right... What I mean is that it takes simple things to stir my soul.

1. beautiful music. preferably a woman with an amazing voice accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. think the Wailing Jennys, Lucy Kaplansky, Patti Griffin, Nanci Griffith... (Nanci has one song that she plays at EVERY concert called "It's a hard life" We've seen her in concert many times, and I still get all weepy every time she sings it.) (and oh yeah - Sarah and I both get all weepy when she plays "Gulf Coast Highway" or "There's a light beyond these woods (Mary Margaret)"

2. early morning or late evening summer light in the Smokies. there is something incredibly permanent about the quality of light in the mountains early in the morning or late in the evening when there's just enough mist in the air to give it an ethereal quality (and yes, I know that permanent and ethereal are almost antonyms, but they both seem to fit...)

3. the sight of a true, happy smile on my children's faces. real smiles portray such happiness, innocence, hope and love.

4. the touch of Sarah's hand on mine.

Aaaaahh, yes. Life is good. Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes it's easy to lose track of those things that stir our souls in the midst of our hectic lives.

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Posted by QueenoftheHill

Wow! Those are so good that I'm going to forgive you for only posting 4 things and not 5... however, if you ever think of #5, I'd love to hear it.

I especially love the one about the touch of Sarah's hand. How wonderful!

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Posted by SmallWorld

I've posted my 5 things on my blog.

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Posted by Tim Richardson

1. Clear blue sky day in the autumn
2. A totally glassy lake on which I am the lone skier
3. Discovering something new
4. Eating sushi
5. A fabulous book
6. Holding my sweet Ava Faye
7. Special birthdays - see January 25th post at www.InspirationalSpeaker.wordpress.com
8. A GREAT Motivational Speaker
9. A quiet walk in the woods. No sound at all
10. Snowflakes. Lots of them.

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