Please write, take photos and share what you love about North Carolina. I’ll help.

Please don’t give up on North Carolina. 

Last week I wrote a love letter about North Carolina. It inspired a few beautiful stories from others. And these stories began to collect their own stories on the social web.

Many of the beautiful comments are inspiring and worth sharing. I share these stories with you hoping you will also share yours. Scott Reston of Raleigh, NC says,

“NC is a state of contrasts, of growing cities and rural backwaters. For most of our time here, we’ve had pretty moderate leadership, which worked well. I feel like bit of voter apathy is largely responsible for our current situation. A situation that’ll be fixed during the next election cycle. Hopefully, we’ll be able to undo the harm that’s been done.”

Elizabeth Bender Read said most of her recent“home conversations have been about state politics.” She said she and her husband have heard friends, and friends of friends, talk about leaving the state. Her husband Noah has been saying “those people haven’t been acting like they have tar stuck to their heels.”

Brooks Hassig says,

“I’ll be visiting an Ashram outside of Boone for the second year in a row. I was blown away last Summer by the serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the pleasant nature of Boone’s residents. NC has a special place in my heart now, too.”

Savannah, a NC native remarked,

“Every time I leave for vacation I come back with a new appreciate for my home state. NC politics have recently been upsetting, to say the least, but I am glad that other residents haven’t lost hope.”

Will Langley was inspired to stay positive and created a list of places he likes to visit:

• Mount Mitchell, Wilson’s Creek, Linville Gorge, Lake Santeetlah, Brevard, Grandfather Mountain
• Bear Island, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Merchants Mill Pond, The Cape Fear, Fort Macon, Nags Head, Jockey’s Ridge, Topsail Island, Hatteras, Lumber river (all the amazing black water)
• Falls Lake, the Eno, Pilot Mountain, Acid Park in Wilson, Hyco Lake, Cliffs of the Neuse

Margo Knight Metzger also had a few favorite things from the Tar Heel State to mention:

• squeals of delight at Sliding Rock
• the brogue of locals on Ocracoke Island
• the lush woods of DuPont State Forest
• swimming in the Oconaluftee River in Cherokee
• the Auction Barn in Marshville

Molly Mullin said,

“I’ve lived in many places, including NY, traveled overseas, but honestly once NC had me in its lovin arms it never let me go. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been with such great, laid back people and the art/music/education scene remains solid. Even though I’m not in NC at the moment, I still dream about it…. I will always heart that state and everyone who is currently there, fighting at Moral Mondays to be heard and have rationality win in the end.”

Michael Driver equated his love for NC to lyrics in a Ben Folds Five song,

“’Don’t change your plans for me- I won’t move to LA. The Leaves are falling back east and that’s where I gotta stay.’ There are other places to visit, sure. But I always come back.”

Mike V says,

NC is my home—my “new” home. Moved here (Garner) in 2006 from NY, and fell in love with the state. What I loved most about it, beyond its natural beauty, mild winters, and warm and welcoming natives, was that it was a growing state that seemed to have thrown off its history and image of being backward, and of being intolerant toward race, religion, culture, so-called “northern aggression,” and ethnic diversity. It was the South’s new paradigm. It was open-minded, progressive, understanding of the long-term value of K-12 and higher education, and supportive of private enterprise and yet understanding that major public programs and investments could advance the public good (e.g., Research Triangle Park).

We’ve also found another collection that was started separately. A Moral Monday attendee was inspired to create a tumblr blog called Our North Carolina.

You may be frustrated by what you are seeing these days, but remember there are people writing love letters to North Carolina every day. I invite you to join the conversation. Contact me if you want some tips for getting started.