Daniel and My Lost Accent
This summer I had the chance to travel back to my hometown in Massachusetts to visit family. That's where I grew up, just north of Boston, and even though I've now called North Texas home for over 30 years, Massachusetts will always hold a special place in my heart. I lived there until I graduated high school, when I set off for higher education that carried me through several states before I finally landed here in Texoma. Growing up in New England, I had the classic accent to prove it — no "R" was safe from getting dropped at the end of a word. If you've ever heard President Kennedy speak, you've heard me. Pure Boston, through and through. But somewhere along the way that accent faded, and now when I visit home, my sisters tease me about picking up a Texas drawl. Funny how things change. Here's my point: over time, we're all shaped by our surroundings, for better or worse. In the case of my accent, there's no moral weight to it either way. But...