This week I worked my final day as a park ranger with Virginia State Parks. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this journey as an Americorps member with VSCC in January 2020--that it would lead to experiences, mentoring, skills, connections, and opportunities that would utterly transform me as a person. I had no idea there would be a global pandemic, completely rewriting how most of the world worked for the next several years, while I was able to continue working safely (with just a few other people and almost entirely outside). I had no idea how bad the invasive plant problem is along I-81 (and everywhere else for that matter). I had no idea that after my service ended in D3, I'd get the chance to return to my favorite parks and people and projects as a resource specialist assistant. I had no idea how meaningful the opportunity to mentor young people in a one-on-one capacity would be, and how deeply moving it is to see them flourish as a result of what they learned working with our team. I had no idea how much free food there is in the forests of the Shenandoah Valley, and also how much weird/cool stuff happens in nature where no human eyes usually are there to see it. I had no idea how much gets done in Virginia State Parks, and no idea how few people are responsible for all of that effort. I had no idea how much I would come to love and appreciate my coworkers in the Resource Section across the commonwealth--smart, funny, hard-working, down-to-earth people, some with over 30 years in service and some with just 3 months--all brought together by a love and a responsibility for our natural resources. I had no idea that I might come to a final day as a Virginia State Park Ranger, and feel both sadness and excitement. Sadness for the end of a wonderful chapter--but excitement for what comes next. Thank you, #VirginiaStateParks - for everything. I'll be back--as a visitor, volunteer, and friend. #staytuned #gratitude #endsarebeginnings #stories https://www.instagram.com/p/CgmQug3Ojd7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
