Texas

By Jael Shain

Some people prefer rolling green hills,

white Christmases, and forests in their backyards.

They like city living with 20 people per acre of land living.

They don’t mind the fact that the only place

they’ve seen animals is in the local zoo,

never rode a horse through a misty field before the sun comes up

they’ve never experienced southern hospitality or good cooking.

What a way to live, right?

I prefer dry grass that crunches under your boots.

I like heat so hard it nearly blows you 10 ft back every time you step outside

like a hot and sweaty surprise tackle.

The kind of heat that leaves you perspiring after 5 minutes of outside activity.

I like seeing horses roaming in everyone’s backyard,

 mouthwatering, home cooked meals every day at noon and six, served on the dot.

I love walking into any business and automatically feeling at home.

I love waking up to a sunny sky and joyful roosters cawing.

I don’t mind the manure smells or the occasional tractor causing a jam on the road

I’ll take all the bad parts with the good.