"Hell Ain't Half Full"

The Mattisons have sayings that stick... Many moons ago, James Frank Mattison (Pop) married Suejette Cooper Mattison (Jet) and they had James Frank Mattison, Jr. (James) married Margaret Franklin Mattison (Granny) and they had James Frank Mattison III (Butch). Daddy married Jane Guillebeau Mattison and they had James Frank Mattison IV... and Harvey Guillebeau Mattison, and me (Rachel Britt Mattison). On a side note... I could give an entire post dedicated to the "horrificness" of Guille's and my names!

Anyway... I am proud to say that my great-granddaddy was the "town crier" of McCormick, SC... now of course being born when he had to have been 135... I have no idea what that actually means. I just know that he married people and said here ye, here ye... whatever that means! Pop was not known to be the nicest of men. My mama has said hundreds of times that Daddy is just like him. I don't consider Daddy mean, but I guess if you are on the receiving end of his honesty...then you might think he isn't so nice. He doesn't put up with nonsense... tells it like it is... and loves to spread a little news if he has it. I only have my daddy to compare Pop to because he died when I was four. I have pictures of him to remember what he looked like, but as far as mannerisms...I have to assume he is just like Daddy...

When I began dating Mark, I hung out with Betty Carol on the weekends and bonded with her...asking her millions of questions about growing up so close to my daddy's side of the family. I love that Mark's mama would come to my grandparents house every weekend in high school and knew all kinds of secrets about my daddy! BC also taught me a lot about Pop too! One of my favorite stories is when they were riding down the road and a car would pass them... Pop would say..."Go ahead, Hell ain't half full!"...

Today, as KB and I were headed to Augusta, a car passed us...flying! I don't know why, but I said, "Go ahead, Hell ain't half full!". Of course she thought I might end up in hell for saying that... but then I thought about it... and realized... Hell isn't half full!

I can think of at least ten things that I would love to send people to Hell for... like passing me when I am already driving 65mph, taking a few words from someone and twisting them to make matters seem worse than they already are, for lying to my face, for not treating their children like children, for being selfish, for being two-faced, for being a "spoon" (you know...stirring up stink), for not listening to advice from others, etc... you get my picture...great day huh?

And then I thought about myself... why do I always try to clean up someone else's doorstep before I work on my own doorstep...it does need a little sweeping... I need to be a little nicer to those that I don't care for, I need to take time to let some people in my life know how special they are, and I need to spend a little more time with God in order to make sure my broom is fresh.

Besides...hell ain't half full... and I sure don't want to be down there cleaning up doorsteps...

FYI... Be nice, don't stir stink, and DON'T PASS ME!