A few weeks ago I received a comment from a reader who lives up North and is considering moving to Roanoke, I believe as a place to retire. They asked me to write about Roanoke and what I think about living here. What are some of the pluses and minuses of Roanoke? What to expect and what not to expect? And, overall talk a little about the quality of life here.

With the next few posts I’ll do my best to answer these questions from my perspective, and generally so that they can apply to all ages. These posts hardly aim to cover everything about Roanoke, and I encourage you to leave comments below and add your own perspective.

Before I can even begin talking about Roanoke I feel inclined to give a brief background on how I came to call it home. And why I still live and work within minutes from the hospital where I was born.

My dad was born and raised in Roanoke. My mom moved here from the mid-west when she was young as a result of my grandfather being transferred while working for Norfolk-Southern.

Both of my parents (now divorced) still live in or in the vicinity of Roanoke. Well, my mom actually still lives in the same house where I grew up.

And those of my grandparents still alive also live in Roanoke, with several other relatives scattered throughout Virginia from here to Richmond.

I was born at Lewis-Gale Hospital and grew up in Roanoke County.

I went to college at Virginia Western and Radford University and then came back to Roanoke looking for work and my place in the world. Sometime later I purchased my first home in Roanoke City, found a rewarding career, and never had a chance or consideration to look back.

I suppose I could be called a “young professional” that Roanoke is looking to attract, or keep. And I plan on hanging around here for the long-term.

I don’t think it’s entirely accurate to say that we choose the city where we live.

Sometimes the city chooses us.

Next up, Living in Roanoke - The Basics.