What a special place we live in — a vibe that is so evident in our people, our environment and our community.

The other day, I went to a vending machine at the University at Buffalo to buy a bottle of water. With only a $5 bill and a $10 bill, I needed change. I asked an international student sitting in the area if he had change for a$5 bill. He said he had only three singles and I said, fine, I’ll trade you the five for three singles. (I know what it is like for a struggling student.) He pulled two singles out of his wallet and said he would gladly pay for my water. How many places does that happen?

I’m reminded of a faculty member who moved to Buffalo from another city remarking how excited he was to finally help push someone out of the snow last year. He had gotten stuck earlier and was amazed how many people came to his aid and the speed in which they did it.

I guess I’m saying that, yes, we have incredible and inspiring natural beauty; a trip to the Erie Basin Marina to watch the sunset on a sunny day in either July (or January) could easily prove that. The majestic Niagara Falls and an explosion of autumn colors populate this land held sacred by our Native American brothers and their ancestors.

Yes, we have an incredible cultural existence with music, art and theater that is available and most accessible. Of course famous artists, architects, writers and musicians were either born here or spent time practicing their vocation here — Frank Lloyd Wright, E. B. Green, Frederick Law Olmsted, Mark Twain, Ani DiFranco, Rick James, the Goo Goo Dolls, Charles Burchfield, Lawrence Bell and Wilson Greatbatch, to name just a few.

Yes, we support our sports teams with incredible vigor, both here and around the globe where the teams serve as a tactile connection for those who have left their hometown. I’ve had out-of-town alumni from our school tell me that people in Buffalo say hello to you and hold open a door for you, and that is something that doesn’t always happen in places such as Washington, D. C., and Phoenix.

As the world we live in becomes a colder place, where people have a need and yearning for a more spiritual and fulfilling existence, perhaps Buffalo will become known for our vibe, our communal sense of helping others. This is exemplified in the way we come together in a snowstorm, plant trees that were damaged during a storm and give to charity until it hurts — and much of that charity comes from those who don’t have much to give.

My job takes me to many wonderful places around the country, and you know what? Many of those places I visit have people who want to know how things are in Buffalo. That’s because the city and the university embraced those who came to study and live here and adopted them as their own.

Western New York is truly the land of “pay it forward,” and I’ll remember that the next time someone comes up a little short in the grocery line. Once, during road construction, I led an upset and lost Canadian visitor to the Peace Bridge and paid his Thruway toll. Why? Because I wanted him to know something about my hometown — that the special current of caring runs through all of us and we are always here to help.

Those who come here from someplace else fall in love with our area and truly feel the vibe.