There are some things — in my mind — that are distinctly Southern; things worth preserving and should give Southerners great pride.

I am of the opinion we own the right to college football and allow others in the country to play along. The past five national championship teams have helped validate this opinion. In the south, when ordering a tea, you better expect to get a tall glass, full of ice and sweet enough to make any diabetic within 45 yards twinge. It is also in the south where ordering a glass of sweet tea with breakfast is as normal as the sun rising in the east each morning.

We are raised the only acceptable responses to any request, order or directive from your mother better be “yes, ma’am” or “no, ma’am.” If you’re a young man, that rule also applies to any question from any woman, no matter the relation.

I believe each person born in the south also comes with a deep appreciation for grits, the proper way to make grits, and the best way to explain to anyone above the Mason Dixon Line exactly what grits are. Then again, they really don’t understand, nor should they.

But, one of the most endearing traditions those of us in the south adhere to is the respect we pay as motorists to passing funerals.

There is something majestic and sobering to see a busy highway become calm, still and respectful of a funeral procession, as cars in both directions slow, pull off to the side and stop until the procession passes.

I’ve seen friends and colleagues, who hail from other parts of the country, sit in awe of this tradition and comment how it is not followed in other places.

Through all of our faults in this part of the country and we have a few of note we are a cordial, respectful people. We believe in family, friends and the pleasure you can get from sitting under a tin roof listening to a summer rain shower.

We know what good cornbread tastes like and if given the opportunity, will fry just about anything.

There are a lot of things that are distinctly southern and a lot of things others in this country could learn from us. But let them figure out grits for themselves.