When I look at an old wooden structure on a piece of property, all I see is an abandoned barn. When my in-laws look at that same structure, they see unlimited potential. They have a knack, if not a gift, for repurposing. In their hands and with their vision, that which is old becomes something “new” and inviting. And, in the case of an old barn…
…it becomes a piece of Americana, a nostalgic nod to the history of their home and the area.
Full of relics that each have a story, it takes on character and charm and becomes a place you want to hang out in for awhile.
The kind of place that makes you want to wear a cowboy hat, no matter how out of character the Western look may be on you.
It’s the kind of place where our state flag is right at home on the wall and where the sunlight streaming through the wooden slats creates an ambiance perfectly suited for an Independence day reunion dinner.
Here, nobody is counting how many cookies you’ve eaten {she had at least six} when you strategically position yourself next to the dessert table.
Because most everyone is just enjoying the unusually pleasant weather and the beauty of things that are old and simple… and good.
Whether that be ice cream and football,
… bubbles and bouncing…
…or flowers and flags.
But, more than just being a reminder that there is a sweetness to history {whether that be the history of a barn or the history of a family}, this past weekend was the kind that reminds me I’m happy to be Southern and proud to be an American.
My girls wouldn’t be wearing matching red shirts and blue shorts if selfless people, in my family and yours, hadn’t paved the way for that kind of freedom with their bravery.
And, for that I am humbled and thankful.
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