173 years ago on a cold, gray, and rainy day at the Town of Washington, 59 delegates read and approved the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico. The document was literally produced overnight; for at that same moment, the Alamo in San Antonio was being hammered by artillery from Santa Anna's Mexican army.
Four days later, defended by such Texas heroes as Davey Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William B. Travis, the Alamo fell ... but not before those men put up one helluva fight. The defenders held out for 13 days against Santa Anna's army. They drew a line in the sand and refused to surrender.
Today, that spirit of independence remains alive and well in the Lone Star State. Texans are often misunderstood and labeled as arrogant or boastful. But that's not it ... it's immense pride and heritage. People care about people here. People care about their homes and neighbors. People care about being Texans.
I love the wide open spaces. I love the smells. I love the sunsets. I love the fact that all in one state you can drive to the gorgeous beaches of South Padre Island, or experience the nightlife and music of Austin, or enjoy the mountains of Big Bend, or fish the Gulf Coast, or hunker down for a cold and windy blizzard in the panhandle. But most of all, I love the people.
Texans put God, country, and family first. Always. But football, cold beer, BBQ, tailgates, raft trips down the river, two-stepping at Gruene Hall, and bluebonnets in the spring are also religious experiences. We respect our soldiers, say 'Yes, Ma'am' and 'No, Sir', punish our law-breakers, fly our flags, and respect tradition.
A good Texas girl like me couldn't let today pass without reflecting on how blessed and lucky I am to be a part of this great state. Author John Steinbeck said it best ... "Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word."
God Bless Texas.
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