Sometimes, you meet people who imprint on your life and begin to find connections with entities that connect with them. All imprints are a lesson and some imprints continue to add impressions onto your timeline.
My life in Texas has really opened my world to this unusual thing called, "Southern Hospitality". Houston itself is a melting pot of people from all over the US and the world yet, what's interesting is when I meet true southern people.
I do not know much about Alabama other than driving through Mobile one time and getting stuck in f**king traffic for 5, 6 hours! WTF!
But, I have made some friends from Alabama who've imprinted upon my life.
I made my first unexpected friend from Alabama almost 2 years ago. It was a gentleman whom did not allow me to simply disregard him. I was my usual self, blunt and abrasive but, my Northern persona didn't offend his Southern Hospitality.
Initially I thought, What's wrong with this dude? He must like being abused. Realistically, it is more so, What's wrong with me and why am I so guarded and quick to automatically deflect people?
Somehow, this Alabama man and I created a unique friendship at which most people wouldn't understand it...but what is for me to understand, isn't for you to understand.
I can identify that I am a little different from others in the sense I do not see relationships, infatuation, or even love the same way as mainstream society depicts it. I see what makes most sense to me.
I think of my own friends, all from different backgrounds, experiences, neighborhoods, and countries. We have collectively made a connection with one another because of small similarities that caught our interest but, bigger differences that keep us in each others' lives.
Our friends are the family that we get to choose. I inadvertently made so many varying arrays of friendships that my circle is as diverse as my persona. I love it.