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/1298419
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM OCTOBER 14-20, 2020 UCW 17 DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. A fresh look by DAN DEBRULER FAITH Funny how our perspective can change. Until recently, I didn't think I'd ever enjoy arri- v ing somewhere to f ind it already crowded. The past few weeks have seemed completely alive in our part of North Carolina. Wak ing to cooler mornings and f lipping the page on the calendar to seal the arrival of October made it really feel like fall. Overnight, it became more acceptable to lean into the colors that only seem appropriate at this time of year. Traditionally, it's a time for fes- tivals celebrating harvests of one kind or another, and a time when people begin to drop the pretense the summer seems to carr y with it. As I drove past the farms on Gillis Hill the past few weekends, I was thrilled to see the crowds. People lined up for ice cream, and families wandering through the pumpk in patch on a quest for the one that w ill perfectly adorn their porch. And the k ids. It was a joy to see dozens of children, unaffected by all that's tainted their parents' worlds these past seven months, laughing, play ing, jumping and just being together. If we've learned nothing else since we closed the doors on so many of our regular haunts since March, I hope we've learned how much we need each other. We're built for communit y. W hether or not we'll admit it, we all crave human contact. To hear a voice speak directly to us, see a smile directed at us, and even to shake a hand or feel an arm around our shoulder is irreplaceable. Being secluded at home and having to wonder as we wander in a store as we gather necessities has been tr ying at best. I wonder if he's smiling? Do I shake his hand? Is it going to freak my old friend out if I tr y to give her a hug? But the sunshine, the cooler days, and the feeling of fall has beckoned us all out of our castles and into the open where we can begin to share experiences once again. With all the forces that have see- mingly been working to divide us, this fresh, new season has given us all a way to both forget and remember. Like a family reunion on a grand scale, coming together again gives us the opportunit y to forget that bad news gets good ratings as we remember that we were always on each others' side. If you haven't done so already, I hope you get out and enjoy the company of other humans soon. Go for a walk in one of the great parks surrounding us. Enjoy lunch in the fresh air outside a favor- ite restaurant. Visit one of the many agri-tourism spots here in Cumberland Count y. Wear a mask if it makes you more comfortable, but let people get a peek at your smile ever y now and then. We need you. And we need each other. The beginning of fall can give us a f resh perspective on sharing our lives with each other. Medicare has changed. Find out how it can affect you. We are not connected with, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Federal Medicare Program. I understand I have no obligation when an agent contacts me to answer my questions about insurance. Premiums can change if all policies of the same form and class in your state are changed. Plan F, Plan G, High Deductible Plan F and High Deductible Plan G premiums based on attained age will also change each year on or after your birthday. L030NC, L035NC, L036NC, L037NC, L038NC, F001, F002 6248_C Important changes to the federal Medicare program became effective at the beginning of the year. As a result, retirees in your state may be eligible for coverage with new options. Find out if you qualify for Medicare Supplement insurance from Physicians Life Insurance Company that can help limit your out-of-pocket expenses. Get the facts that matter to you: • Critical dates for Medicare eligibility • Options that can help keep more money in your pocket • Medicare benefits many retirees may not be aware of For FREE information, call: 1-855-502-3366 or visit MedSupBenefit.com/upcoming