Journeys With Jani – Let’s Talk About It…

I was at the doctor’s office yesterday afternoon, minding my own business, when the receptionist looked up and said, “Hey, honey.” I smiled, took my seat, and not two minutes later the nurse walked me back and called me “baby.” Then my doctor—yes, my female doctor—breezed in with her usual grin and said, “Well hey there, girl,” and I shot back without missing a beat, “Hello Lovely.”

Now if you’re not from around here, you might think we were either in the middle of a family reunion, or somebody was fixing to ask me out for cocktails. But down here in the South? That’s just how we do.

Our Love Language? Sweet Tea & Pet Names

We Southerners don’t need to know you personally to lay a little sugar on you. Honey, baby, darlin’, sugar, sweet pea—it’s all just part of our vocabulary. Men and women alike sprinkle it into conversation like powdered sugar on a funnel cake. (Now, to be clear—men don’t usually call other men “baby.” That’s where even the South has boundaries.)

Is it flirting? Eh… maybe. But not the “hey baby, let’s go to Vegas” kind of flirting. It’s softer, sweeter—it’s about making somebody feel seen. It’s a spoonful of comfort stirred into the middle of an ordinary afternoon.

Why It Trips Folks Up

Here’s the rub: not everybody gets it. Non-Southerners, and even some of the younger generation, sometimes hear these words and immediately get offended. I get it—they’re not used to love being poured out in a casual conversation at the doctor’s office. My husband’s family is from Iowa, and bless ‘em, they just don’t talk like this. Up there, affection is assumed, not spoken. It’s straightforward, clean, crisp.

Down here? We don’t assume—you’re gonna know. We serve love like we serve cocktails: strong, sweet, and with a little garnish on the rim.

Sweet & Salty—Just Like Life

See, that’s what I love about being Southern. Our words carry a bit of simple syrup—you can taste the sweetness. But don’t forget, we like a salty rim too. Just like life itself: sweet when we want it to be, salty when we need it to be. That balance is what makes us who we are.

So next time somebody in the South calls you “baby” or “honey,” don’t stiffen up. Don’t assume it’s about your age, your looks, or anything else. Take it for what it is: an extra dose of Southern hospitality, spoken out loud.

Because around here, sugar, words are meant to taste as sweet as the tea we pour.

Have a great day Muffin!

XOXO, Jani