So in case you haven't noticed, the past few years for South Carolina have been a total hot mess. A lot of these events that happened truly brought our state together in the times where we needed support the most. I honestly believe that we would have been a different state after all of these events if it weren't for our governor Nikki Haley.
From the shooting at Mother Emanuel church in Charleston, the 1,000 year flood last fall, Hurricane Matthew and the Townville shooting all showed us how we as a state can always excel in the face of danger.
Though these four events are just the main ones that hit news headlines, Nikki Haley has continued to represent our state with grace and poise, something many people--especially politicians-- can't say or do.
Nikki Haley has continually represented our state with the utmost dignity I have seen in a long time.
Though many times South Carolina has been in the news for things we aren't proud of, we continue to band together as a state and support each other when in need. I can't tell you how many times this past week I have seen people posting on Facebook, Craigslist or even an add in the newspaper offering shelters for animals, places to stay for friends or strangers or even prayers and well wishes to those who chose to stay on the coast.
This past week alone I experienced my own appreciation for the people of SC. From my Facebook:
"There's times like these where I'm proud to be from SC. Today I was picking up food for Mom, Christopher, his roommate and myself and had a conversation with the girl cashing me out and a patron standing next to me. I told them how I was grabbing food for us four since Toph and Dom were in from Charleston and the patron next to me gave me $10 and said, "Here, pay for part of the food with this and be careful." She didn't have to do that. She could've easily said something else but she didn't. She gave me that $10 because she is just that kind. To the random stranger that helped buy a meal for my brother and his roommate--thank you."
This random stranger did not have to give me any money for their food; she didn't have to listen to my story and she definitely didn't have to care...but she did.
To me that speaks volumes of the kind of people that South Carolina calls its citizens. We might be different races, sizes, ethnicities, have different beliefs and care more about football than anything else but we are a family. We might not know each other from anything other than "neighbor" but that's what we are. We are neighbors.
As crazy as it sounds I really believe that we as South Carolinians use "Love thy neighbor as thyself" as a real life motto.
When my dad was sick a few years back and we were rarely home, our neighbor came over and cut our grass and made sure our house looked nice on the outside so we didn't have to worry about it when we came home. He didn't have to, but he did.
The lady at Zesto's didn't have to give me that 10$ for food, but she did.
Nikki Haley didn't have to ask for prayer during one of her press conferences during Hurricane Matthew but because she cares so much about this state she did.
The state of South Carolina didn't have to support Mother Emanuel or Townville Elementary after their devastating losses, but the thing is we all felt the pain, we all lost someone and we all hurt, so we did.
The thing is, South Carolina is unlike any other place I have ever been in my entire life. The support, love and thoughtfulness that we all exhibit is something that cannot be found anywhere else.
I honestly believe if Nikki Haley was not our governor during these events, and many others, we would not have bonded together like we have. She is an amazing leader who truly cares about our state and the people in it. Her quick actions during the flooding and Hurricane Matthew saved countless lives, I'm sure of it.
Though we may be different, different hair, skin colors, beliefs, morals, and backgrounds we are a state that bands together when someone needs it. I honestly wouldn't want to live anywhere else besides SC during these trials we have faced.
Thank you Nikki Haley for being the leader we have needed in our state.
Thank you South Carolina for being a state that I am proud to come from.
Thank you citizens for showing the world what true neighbors are.
I am proud to be from South Carolina and I am proud to say that this is my home.
