With over 13 million followers, Humans of New York is very well known. By showing us real people, a bit of their stories, and inside their life, Humans of New York has made a bridge between outside judgement and inside realism. Yet, while I enjoy the page, I couldn't help but feel a distance between myself and these people living the big city life.

Until I stumbled on the page Humans of North Carolina. The creators Dylan and Bekah took this same concept, but applied it to represent the diverse slices of life found in our state. When I asked their reason behind starting the page, they said, "Inspired by the legendary page, Humans of New York, we wanted to set out on a journey of our own to discover interesting individuals within the state of North Carolina. Through this process, our hope is to reveal the beauty of the everyday person and, in contrast, expose the intrigue that lies in the character of each soul we encounter."

And they sure did, here are fifteen that will warm your heart, put a smile on your face, and help you a little through life.

"My name is Michael Holloway. My hobby is poetry."

"Can you give me a poem of yours?"

"Yes, everyone can relate to this one, no matter their background. It is called, 'Those Who Give' :

Some give us what we want

some give us what we need,

like the clothes we are wearing

or the shoes on our feet.

some might take us to church

because they have that type of heart,

some might give us a job so we can have a new start.

Some might give us their phone number so we don't feel alone,

some might give us a bus ticket so we can get back home.

I'm not thinking about what you drive, or where you might live,

I just want to say thank you to those that give."

"I got into a car accident when I was 3, and when you're little and something like that happens you just adapt. It's what you know, so it's not as detrimental as I'd imagine it is for older people when they experience it. Tech and medicine are growing at an exponential rate as well, so you do your best to live your own life, and keep an ear open to whatever is going on with those sorts of things."

"There's plenty of opportunities to make money, so my job isn't as big of a driving force as quality of life and happiness."

"What is quality of life to you then?"

"Were you outside today? Look at the weather. Nice people, and I'm not fighting with a million people either... you know? It's a great place."

"I'm not tall enough yet."

"I met him when I was 15, and he was 17. He went to the marines, and we've been dating ever since. It was tough though- everyone asked "how did you make it as a military girlfriend?". If you really love somebody, you'll do it, and the distance doesn't seem like anything."

"I've been doing this for a while; at least around 20 years. It's independent publication. We've got a lot of local issues right here in Raleigh, and sometimes it's overlooked."

"We had one kid who had saved up for almost an entire year to purchase a deathstar- he brought in a bag of change, and the biggest thing he had was a five dollar bill. When he bought it he had the biggest smile on his face."

"I'm a veteran and went to Afghanistan . I also backpacked across Europe for four months. The Balkans, if you ever have a chance, go to the Balkans. And couch surfing , everyone should try that. When you just crash on people's couches you get to meet the locals and really experience the culture. "

"I'm running and walking across the entire state of North Carolina. It is 45-50 miles a day. I'm trying to set a record for the fastest time across the state and gather funds for a new hospital being built out of fort brag for a charity called The Fallen Heroes Fund. They help veterans with traumatic brain injury and PTSD. It took me a few years to plan this out and then I wanted to do it for a charity as well, so here I am." Show your support here.

"When you find a pile of rusty rebar, that's a representation of someone's broken dreams, or plans. When you take that and make something beautiful, it's an analogy of life in general."

"I know it is hard growing up during this time, but don’t let the internet and people tear you down with their words. They are just one person and there are billions of people in the world so it doesn't really matter what they say."

"I could tell you the alligator story- Me and my best friend went on a long walk on a big tropical prairie where the alligators roam free. We had been out there for hours and then it was almost sunset so we head back and then we stumble upon this eight foot gator blocking the entire path to get off the gator infested prairie. My friend believes all wild animals are beautiful and gentle and I didn't share the belief in that moment. She just walked right up to him and then she was right near his tail and he didn’t like that and he started hissing. So I just stopped and right then I felt more clear and present as I have ever been. Luckily just standing there turned out to be the right thing to do and we were both able to walk away after what felt like life times of standing beside it."

"We have a picture in our heads that people who are successful in any dimension are cut from a different cloth. But what we don't realize at the end of the day is, all of those guys like Steve Jobs, Mark Cuban- they're just like us. They're just normal human beings, and if you spent a day with them, they're exactly the same. They all take a sh*t like we do. All we have to do is follow in their footsteps."

"Can you smile for me?"

"Hold on, hold on" *crosses legs and looks away*

"What's your favorite color?"

"blue."

"Why blue?"

"It just is!"

"This isn't some weird thing is it...?"

It really is amazing what Dylan and Bekah have accomplished in these few short months. They do all of the photography and the interviews. If you liked this article, get your daily dose on their page, Humans of North Carolina. Give them a like and a follow, and who knows, maybe one day you'll see yourself on there!