It was the winter of ’07 when we received orders to return to Ft Bragg. My husband’s buddy recommended checking out Moore County rather than the logical notion of moving back to Fayetteville where we already had a house. That same friend found a rental for us in Southern Pines and that was it…we said goodbye to our friends and family, loaded up our heavily sedated dog and drove away from Florida filled with equal parts excitement and trepidation.
As we grew closer to the area I became increasingly concerned by the number of questions swirling in my head to which I hadn’t the answers: Will I find a job, Will I make friends, Is there a cool movie theater near by, Why are there so many signs for “Free parakeets” on this road, Why did we rent a house without seeing it, why did we move to a town without research, will it snow there and if so how does one drive in snow, Will Dr. Addison Montgomery Shepherd find love in Private Practice after leaving Seattle Grace in Grey’s Anatomy?
By the time we drove into town I had worked myself into a full-blown, face twitching conniption. My husband sensing my anxiety/hysteria gave me a little pat as you would a jittery stallion and assured me, “This is going to be great. Trust me.” I drew an unsteady breath as we pulled down Dogwood Lane only to find my husband’s friend Paul and his wife Lauren waving from the front steps. They welcomed us to town, gave us a tour of the house and couldn’t have been kinder despite my nervous energy, shaky smile and weird facial tick.
They soon introduced us to Spring Fest, First Friday and the parades… Oh the parades! Christmas, Carriage, Veteran’s Day, I love them all. It is a thing of Rockwellian dreams and when the snow dusts these quaint villages it is absolutely magical. And then there’s the train… when my friends and relatives come to visit they fall in love with the trains that roll through town blowing their low sonorous horn day and night like something from an old movie.
As the months went by I found the awesome theater in the Sunrise that I was so worried wouldn’t exist. I discovered I love snow and will willingly throw my body down on a sled with reckless abandon, while tearing down the nearest hill with total disregard for physical injury when ever possible. Most importantly, I learned with a little gumption on my part—you get back what you give 5 fold. The friends that I’ve made here are really the important part. I shudder to think where I would be if I hadn’t swallowed my anxiety and put myself out there. Or what would have happened if I had never gotten a call from a stranger named Kathy who invited me out to dinner upon discovering I was new in town?
It turns out Lauren and Paul’s kind welcome was the perfect introduction to our lives in Moore County. I quickly caught on to the differences of living in a small town and thoroughly relished in them. My hometown in Florida is just big enough to where you can run errands all day and never see anyone you recognize. I love knowing that I am bound to recognize someone when I leave the house, whether at the movies, grocery store, or out on a walk with Dodge the giant dog. Stopping for a quick chat or wave is one of the things I have come to thoroughly love about living here.
When I moved into the house we now live in I would work till the wee hours painting or scraping wallpaper with my faithful paint covered dog by my side. A few neighbors brought me a meal, dessert, or just a friendly introduction. I learned that neighbors can be great friends like the beautiful Ann Smith who feeds me when I’m sick, loves my giant pony of a dog and has even become quite friendly with my mom.
When I was thinking about opening up a shop downtown, Jessica and Petra from Swank Coffee told me to go for it. They supported me and even framed my first $1.00.
When a customer walked in one day chatting about the Sunrise Theater I mentioned how much I would love to be a part of it. With in a few months I was on the movie committee. Thank you Loretta.
Last year while I was recovering form shoulder surgery and my man was simultaneously recovering from back surgery (don’t get me started— 2015 was definitely the year of woe). My amazing community of friends rallied. Lisa cared for me and stayed for hours while feeding me pain pills like a baby bird. Kelly brought delicious meals several times a week—and even took requests. Lindsay provided hours of laughter and constant support and love and there were so many others who gave of themselves – too many to list. I have never experienced anything like it and I’m not sure this would’ve happened had we played it safe and moved back to our old house in a bigger city.
I learned this small town is the perfect place to dream big. I don’t believe there is another community where I could’ve opened up a shop in the middle of a recession and still be here today. My customers, my neighbors became my friends and allowed me the time to grow and find my voice, even forgiving me when my sensibilities went awry (I’m speaking of the horrible chip clip debacle of 2010)…my apologies…
I owe everything to this town and it’s all thanks to a good friend, his beautiful wife, a little bit of gumption, and a husband who can talk me down from the precipice of anxiety like a pro. Thanks Paul and Lauren Greaves for introducing me to a community that has brought so much joy to our lives and allowed us to live this amazing Life Under the Pines.
The Mockingbird
