country

I grew up country
We lived out on a dirt road
Where I road my bike every day
Where I drove my first car into a ditch
But being country wasn’t about where you lived
It was about who you were
Being country meant you learned to look a person in the eye when you shook their hand
Being country meant your word was worth more than all your cash in the bank and being called a liar brought on a fight
Being country meant you didn’t have to agree, but you did have to respect people no matter their station in life, where they worshipped or how they voted
Being country meant you worked hard and loved deeply; your God, your family, and your Country
I grew up country
I still identify as country
I live 20 miles from where I was raised
I married the sweetest country girl that lived a mile from me and it’s been 42 years and counting
I can still bust out a Willie Nelson song on my guitar
Though I drive a Tesla, I’ll take a back road any day over a freeway
Being country still means you look people in the eye, but now you bump elbows
Being country still means your word is worth more than your stock portfolio and being called a liar will bring on an angry reply on facebook
Being country still means you don’t have to agree, but you do need to respect, no matter your race, who you love or how you vote
Being country still means you work smart and love deeply; whether you believe in God or not, whether you have a family or not, and whether you’re red, blue or no color at all
I grew up country
My road is paved now
I ride an electric bike
I try to keep my car between the ditches
But being country isn’t where I’m from
It’s who I am