Dance with the one who "brung ya"!

I was just having a text conversation with a dear friend wherein I found myself texting "Dance with the one who brung ya"!  This prompted my grammatically correct, sometimes over cerebral brain to feel as though I needed to explain where that one came from!  I am writing now to express extreme pride! I am proud of where my roots developed and am here to shout it out!  Yes, I was raised by very simple country "folk".  They taught me how to treat others by citing "The Golden Rule".  They taught me about loyalty by telling me to "Dance with the one who brung ya".  They taught me about love by giving every ounce of it that they had.  They taught me about work and sacrifice by setting the example; working their fingers to the bone and sacrificing all they ever could have been to be certain that I could be all that I could.  They taught me about faith by referring to "The Good Book" and reciting lines that most have never heard of.  They taught me that material things have no value as we had very little but we had a whole lot of love, laughter and happiness.  They taught me that it takes a village to raise a child well before that became a "saying" as everyone always pitched in to praise and/or admonish each of us teaching us all as we grew making us understand the value of family and family time without forcing it upon us but making us crave it.  They taught me about truth and honesty by not only holding those values themselves but by encouraging open and free conversation and questions without the fear of persecution.  They taught me to be a better person just because each and every one of them drew breath and led by example...not just words.  They didn't give me "time outs", they gave me a spanking when deserved, a grounding when deserved and understanding with a hug when needed.  My family, the whole lot of them, grandparents, parents, sibling, cousins, aunts, uncles and those not related by blood but family nonetheless are who made me who I am today and I am proud to be a simple country girl who built upon those country roots and country values to become the woman I am today.   To my family, those who can read these words and those who are watching from above knowing what is in my heart, thank you for everything!  My love for you is beyond measure and I can only hope that I make you proud of the little girl that you helped mold into the woman she has become.  I vow to continue to grow and improve each and every day out of love and respect for you all!