Happy Fall!
I’ve never been afraid of bees, but as we shot the cover story for this issue, I walked into a swarming hive and I felt it: a jolt of fear telling me to walk—or maybe sprint—the other way. It happened again when beekeeper Susan Gardner dropped a buzzing creature into my (safely gloved) hand. But soon enough, we were watching a tiny bee emerge from its honeycomb for the first time, learning fascinating facts about these important pollinators, and the fear disappeared, replaced by curiosity.
As we put together this issue of vive, I noticed a common thread: people who overcame their fears and doubts in ways that enriched their lives more than they ever expected. Gardner is one of them—she not only tackled the hobby of beekeeping, but soon became an entrepreneur with two storefronts. Kindergarten teacher Candi Bolt took the leap and filled in onstage at Cafe and Then Some, and soon found a group of friends that are more like family—a particularly hilarious family. And Pamela Evette and Tally Parham Casey didn’t stay on the sidelines, but threw their hats into the ring for public office.
For many of us, even if our scholastic career is squarely in our rearview mirror, fall still feels like a time of new beginnings: new routines, new goals, new adventures. As you dig into these pages filled with fascinating people, unique places, and exciting events taking place in the Upstate and beyond, we hope you’ll find inspiration to set your fears aside and try something new. You never know where it might lead.
vive: Pronounced “veeve,” the word is of French origin and means lively, brisk, living, long life.
