Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1196598
8 UCW JANUARY 1-7, 2020 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM OPINION Thank you, Fayetteville by CAROLINE SCHAFER Before arriving at Fort Bragg two and a half years ago, I heard about the notorious nickname given to the city of Fayetteville. I naively believed that Fayetteville must be as bad as I had heard, and my husband and I chose to live 45 minutes away for the first year we were stationed here. However, as I began to make friends who lived in the city, I became curious about why they chose to invest in this particu- lar community. After all, if it has such a bad reputation, why would they? I was starting to notice that the negative things I had been warned about weren't that accurate. e magnetism of Fayetteville began to draw me in slowly, and I started on an adventure to see if I could fall in love with the city and the community. It didn't happen overnight or even very quickly. It was almost two years before I stopped saying, "I really want to love this city, but I don't know what there is to love about it." e thing is, I was looking in all the wrong places. I was trying to make Fayetteville fit into my idea of what makes a city a "good" city. I wasn't looking at the exceptional qualities that make Fayetteville the city that it is. Fayetteville is a city of various cultures fused together in a way that highlights the exceptional qualities of each culture yet merges them into a heart-warming masterpiece. It's a city of distinct local business owners who provide personal approaches to their customers' experience because they understand the exceptional individual- ity of the community. It's a city of note- worthy history that will always be a part of the very structure this community is built upon. And, it's a city of spectacu- lar individuals who radiate the spirit of distinction, acceptance, devotion, hope and so much more. e city of Fayetteville isn't just a place of buildings and roads; it's a com- munity first. It has a story that is un- like any other place and will continue to build on its story. is community makes up the narrative of its choosing with the distinct personalities that not only live here but flow through here. is community, in all its splendor and magnificence, is a place I have finally fallen in love with. ank you, Fayetteville, for being patient with me. I am forever grateful for all you are. Fayetteville is a city of various cultures infused together in a way that highlights the excep- tional qualities of each culture yet merges them into a heart-warming masterpiece. It' CAROLINE SCHAFER, Contribut- ing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484- 6200. Come in from the cold and let Harmony take care of your needs ... from chef inspired dining to assistance with daily activities ... living in Harmony allows you to kick up your feet and enjoy the warmth of your new home. 7051 Rockfish Road | Fayetteville | 910.635.0555 | www.HarmonyAtHopeMills.com A S S I S T E D L I V I N G | S E C U R E D A S S I S T E D L I V I N G