That's What I Love About Oklahoma, Installment 1

It's no secret that I desperately wanted to leave Oklahoma to check out another place in the world until the whole job thing got us anchored here for a few more years. But since I've convinced myself (and prayyyyyyed for contentment!!) that this is a good idea, I'm free to get excited about our new life right here in the heartland. My last post--about the hail--got me thinking about the things I love about our great state, so here begins a series of things on that list.

First and foremost, people are kind and giving. You JUST don't find that in the same way in other places. There's a good mix of southern hospitality, selflessness, and regular old enjoyment of life instead of constant scramble for the next step of progress. That's not to say that Oklahomans are backward, as may be the stereotypical perception (no, we do not drive horse-and-buggies, and we do not live in teepees).

I heard Kim Henry, our governor's wife, talk about the concept of the "Oklahoma Dollar," and I found this description on http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/secondary.php?section=6&catid=165. This is the story that best explains the reasons I love being in Oklahoma.

"The Oklahoma Standard has been defined as a new level of caring. It was first publicly noted when some members of the media observed that citizens in Oklahoma ran toward the Murrah Building immediately after the bombing rather than away from the building. When a need for blood was broadcast, it had to be followed by an advisory to stay home, because more people lined up than were needed. When an announcement was made that work boots were needed at the site, workers pulled up and took off their boots and left them. First responders from out of town found that they could not go to a restaurant and pay for their own meals. Either the restaurant owner would refuse their money or another diner had already covered the ticket. The legend of the “Oklahoma Dollar” is based upon a first responder commenting that he was leaving Oklahoma with the same dollar he had when he arrived because, during his entire stay in Oklahoma, he had been unable to spend that dollar."