By Ralph Grizzle

As a North Carolinian, what are you thankful for? Is it the diversity of our vast stretch of state, from the mountains to the sea? Is it our moderate climate, our marked change of seasons or our towering clusters of trees that brush against Carolina blue skies?

Maybe what you're thankful for has nothing to do with the physical aspects of our state--your gratitude goes toward good neighbors, caring communities, the strong support of the arts and the opportunities that your children or grandchildren have to attend some of the country's best universities, without leaving their home state.

As citizens of the Old North State, we have much for which to give thanks. This month, we talk with some old friends about the reasons they're proud to claim North Carolina as their home.

Beauty--As an artist, I am thankful for the abundance of subject matter right here in my own backyard. To use a golf analogy, people wonder how anyone could play the same golf course over and over again. But the truth is that you never hit your ball from the same spot. That's how it is with my paintings. The seasons and atmospheres are so different that I'm never painting the same scene. Early on in my career, I wondered if I would ever grow tired of painting in this state. The answer is, No, I never will.--Bill Mangum, Artist, Greensboro

Progress--I'm grateful to live in a state that has made so much progress in the fields of technology, medicine, education, highways and social services. Our progress has just been outstanding. It's true that the whole nation has moved ahead in many of these areas, but North Carolina lagged behind for many years. It couldn't be helped, of course, because we were still nursing the wounds of the Civil War and the Great Depression, but we've truly moved forward in the last 30 years.--Carol Bessent Hayman, Poet Laureate of Beaufort and Carteret County, Beaufort

Sanctuary--Having worked for the National Park Service for 25 years, I'm grateful for the protected areas we have in North Carolina. I don't think a lot of people realize how many of those areas we have here in this state. Even natives to the state are sometimes surprised when they look down the list of protected areas. You may even be living near one and kind of take it for granted, not realizing what it represents, until you begin to explore it. There's great variety, whether you enjoy hiking, fishing, trail riding, car camping, backpacking or watching our wildlife. We're very blessed with our national forests, state forests, state historic sites and national parks.--Tom Robbins, Park Ranger, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Small towns--I'm grateful to have the comfort and security of living in a quaint North Carolina town. I can still enjoy the convenience of the surrounding Piedmont Triad area, but after a hectic day at work in the city, I look forward to heading home to "K"-ville with the prospect of sitting with my husband and son on a porch surrounded by woods.--Kathleen Ingram, Trade Show Manager, RF Micro Devices (Greensboro), Kernersville

Beaches--I originally came from West Virginia, and as most kids who grew up in West Virginia, I grew up thinking the southernmost city in the state was Myrtle Beach. But then I discovered Ocracoke and knew I had to live here. Living here is like living in a little slice of heaven, and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for the 16 miles of undeveloped beachfront here on this island. I'm grateful for the pace of life. It's only 15 miles between here and Hatteras, yet it takes more than an hour to traverse those miles. That isolation could be frightening if it weren't for the quality of people we have here.--Buffy Warner, Owner, Howard's Pub, Ocracoke

Beacons--I'm grateful that North Carolina saw the wisdom of putting the money and effort toward saving some original history (the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Not building a replica, not tearing down and building a new building, but preserving what was there.--Cheryl Shelton Roberts, Writer, Morehead City

Goodwill--I'm grateful for our good economy. Unemployment has been down, even though minimum wages still need to come up. We're serving as many people as we used to [through the food bank] but we're serving more of the working poor than in the past. Here in the Triad, we are blessed with services for the needy.--Faye Ellison, Director of Food Distribution, Greensboro Urban Ministry, Greensboro

Resources--I am thankful for North Carolina's rich diversity of its cultural, natural and historic resources, These resources offer such vast potential for rural economic development as long as we give equal attention to the protection and preservation of these assets. We truly are blessed.--Gordon Clapp, Executive Director, NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, Raleigh

Hospitality--I'm thankful that we live in a state where so many people choose to retire to. I think that says a lot about our quality of life. We're blessed with very little of the extremes, not only with the weather but also in what people do and enjoy. We are congenial and hospitable people, and we love to meet strangers and welcome them in. People can come here and fit in right away. I feel blessed to have been able to have lived here all my life.--Max Meeks, NC Radio Hall of Famer and host of WMFR's "Max in the Morning" since 1947, High Point

Harvest--I've only been here a year, but I'm grateful for the growing season and for the beauty. I moved from Texas, where the weather can be extreme. The growing season here is shorter than in Texas but much more conducive to good gardens. I'm also grateful for the dogwood trees and the distinct change of seasons.--Susan Albert, Community Relations, Weatherspoon Art Gallery, Greensboro

Neighbors--I'm thankful to live in a place where I can call the general store across the street and they'll bring over my groceries and put them away from me (Delores is disabled by Progressive Post Polio Muscle Atrophy). We have so many small towns in this state where there are caring people. Somebody dies, the neighbors bring food, somebody's sick, the neighbors come and sit. You tend to put in a little more effort when you're in a place where you know you're going to turn up your toes at the end of your life.--Delores C. Emory, Proprietor, Cutrell Inn Bed and Breakfast, Swan Quarter

People--In my line of work, I've had the privilege of living in 10 different cities in our state over the past 44 years. There have been beautiful people everywhere I've lived, kind and friendly and generous. It makes me grateful to be a North Carolinian.--Tom Cassidy, Reverend, Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church, Greensboro

Heritage--I'm thankful for the traditions and the heritage that I still sense here. I have such a long history of my family in North Carolina that I have this sense of being here forever. I have this sense of being truly North Carolinian. It's very powerful to me to have that sense of belonging.--Bob Timberlake, Artist, Lexington

Spirit--I'm thankful for the opportunity to work in North Carolina, and I don't think I would have felt that way a year and half ago when I started working for World Summer Games. That was when I started traveling across the state, and I realized that there are people in this state who have great spirit for coming out to support good causes. I got a taste of North Carolina and determined that this was the place that I wanted to stay. --Todd Felts, Director of Statewide Communications for the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games, Raleigh

People--I travel all 100 counties in North Carolina. We have friends all over the state, and it has been really rewarding meeting the people like the decoy carvers down at Harker's Island or the potters whose work we carry in our gallery. Making friends with all these people has been a real treasure. I enjoy the fellowship with those people. That's what keeps me going.--"Cotton" Ketchie, Artist and Owner of Landmark Galleries, Mooresville