From Dallas to Pierre Part

My week since Wednesday has been as follows:

Wednesday:
{4:00 AM} - wake up
- leave house
- flight out of Nola with my friend, Beth, for market in Dallas
- shop till we dropped
- fly back home
- spend the night at my parents house

Thursday:
- wake up super excited because I get to go to the DMV!!!!
- run errands in Thibodaux.
- impromptu trip to Nola with my mom.
- rush home for the Assumption Parish Chamber of Commerce dinner in Peirre Part, Louisiana.

Hold up. Stop the list.

Why would anyone want to go to that?

Because Troy Landry from Swamp People was the keynote speaker.

I have to say it was quite fun. And look who was in the middle of it all.

From the left: Troy Landry, Andrew, Jacob, and Clint. 

This is too cute. 

The night went on and a delicious dinner was served. Awards were presented, and then Troy spoke. I thought Andrew was going to need a translator, but he did alright. He even knew what was being said when a friend came up to Troy and said, "Comment ca va?" Troy's response was, "Ca va bien, merci. Et toi?" 

{That means "how are you?" "I'm good, thank you. And you?}

Andrew recorded some of Troy's speech, and I couldn't help but notice how much he talked like my great-great grandfather. I also couldn't help but notice how at ease Troy was talking to the people of his community. He is who he is. He talks the way he talks. He wears what he wears. And he's from where he's from. And he loves and embraces all of it. It is obvious that he is very comfortable in his own skin. 

How does that relate to me?

Is that applicable to my life in any way?

Um, yes!

In the midst of life in 2011, reading blogs that convey something incredibly different than their life actually is, and being around people that compare everything they are to facebook friends, blogs, or celebrities, Troy's talk was the saving grace I needed. 

My mom and I rode back home together. And my dad and Andrew rode home together. We discovered later that our conversation home in different cars were the same: it's awesome to see someone comfortable and confident in their own skin. 

Even though you may not have been in Pierre Part last night to hear some cajun, alligator fisherman speak, take away this: stop trying to be someone you're not and be comfortable in your own skin. 

I consider myself a fairly confident person, but I need to realize that occasionally, too. 

Funny enough, his speech was not about that at all. It was more about his gratitude to his community, how hard work plays into everything, and how God must have wanted this for him and the community because it all just fell into place without seeking it out, really. I got that message loud and clear. But you know what they say: actions speak louder than words. 

Ya gotta love cajuns. 

Many are like how I described Troy to be. 

Maybe we should all act a little more like Pierre Partians. 

Well...that would be an entirely different blog post...