Leah McCann Smith | Writer & Editor

by Brian Smith

Imagine a place where trees stretch as far as the eye can see. The air smells of pine, sunflowers and freshly cut grass, and you’re surrounded by people who are as kind as they are proud. Young children find joy in simple things, like a Hello Kitty doll draped in the colors of her father’s alma mater. Older folks hang on to the stories on the farm, or swimming in the creek.

The weirdest thing happens when you enter a shop or market; I believe they call it “customer service.” The employees greet you with a smile and ask how they can help. Sometimes they’ll even go out of their way to have a conversation or send warm regards to the family. If you’re not prepared, you might just be taken aback.

Whether you’re moving in, or just passing through, you feel as though you’ve lived here your whole life (or at least like you should have). It’s a welcoming land where you can stretch out, take a deep breath, and rock on the front porch while frogs sing you to sleep and the sun melts away any stress you may have come with.

It’s a place where you can turn left and head toward the beach, or turn right and see a mountain or two. In North Carolina, the beer’s a bit colder, the ice cream’s a touch sweeter, and the BBQ’s a whole lot juicier.