Why...???

I left school this afternoon to head to my favorite national monument to volunteer for a couple of hours. Why? Because I love that place and have a desire to help. Some people look at me like those dogs that turn their faces from side to side while staring really hard...desperately trying to understand. Some people don't comprehend volunteer in this day and age. Believe me, I'm super busy these days, but I still have something inside of me that thinks it's great to help out once in awhile. With no pay. It's my choice.

When I arrived, an employee asked, "WHY aren't you working here anymore???" Oh, if I had a dime for every time I've answered this particular question. I've explained it so many times to so many people, but I think I'll go ahead and explain it here once more. I gave eleven summers to the cave and loved every minute of it (well, except for the rockfall minutes). I worked hard, learned a lot, made tons of friends, became a better teacher because of it, grew to love and cherish the national parks more than I did before, met my darling husband, and enjoyed the paid exercise and extra income. Many rangers have given far more than eleven summers to the cave, so I'm not setting any world records.

Last summer was one of transition in our marriage. K was finishing his four year term at another park. We had lived apart for FOUR YEARS, people. We didn't know if he would get picked up by another park or not. After four years of separate households, I chose to make myself more available to him for the summer since I really can't let go of my teaching contract during the school year. It turns out he did not get picked up by another park at that time, so we were together for the whole summer and used that time for rejuvenation. We spent time nurturing a garden. We road tripped all over the place, spending five weeks out of state. We made so many memories and had some really fun adventures (that bear in Colorado...). We spent time with my mom, not knowing she would take her last breath five months later.

It may not have been as satisfying to have worked at the cave full time while my husband played housewife each day. We would not have been able to do all that we did. Which would have been okay...but the rewards of what we did do would not have been received. And yet, the FBI interrogations continue: "Why did you quit? Why didn't you come back? Is there a reason you're not working here anymore?" I have explained and explained, like a broken record, but I guess my answers have been less than satisfactory. I guess people were looking for a scandal, a complaint, or anything more newsworthy than the truth. The cave is great, the rangers are great, I got really high scores on my end of season evaluation, it was a tough decision to not return...but yes, I chose to spend more time with my family, something folks say you won't ever regret. And let's not leave out that teeny tiny other little detail about me having a very full career as an educator which means the cave job overlapped with the teaching job in the spring and the fall (April, May, August, September, and October). I was particularly amused when fellow teachers who have NO summer job at all, in fact, EXHAUSTED teachers, would fish and fish for more information by repeatedly asking, Why ARE you quitting the cave???" I wanted to reply, "I don't know...why don't YOU have a summer job???"

Which reminds me of something Ranger Kristen has said...

One of the standing jokes between TICA rangers is this question, "So do you guys, like, hike up here every day?" The general public cannot get over the fact that TICA rangers hike to their job (and keep hiking all day long). Sometimes we would joke around with visitors for a few minutes telling them we had an elevator (we even had a sign on the ranger room door that said "elevator"). We've made up stories about riding four-wheelers or catching the morning helicopter. Sometimes we've said some pretty outlandish things and some visitors actually bought it until we quickly told them we were only kidding. Just so you know, we always told them we were joking. However, Kristen said it best, "You know, people are willing to believe anything except the fact that we actually hike up here every day." True dat! The simple truth just isn't juicy enough. People insist there must be more to the story. And while I'm at it, NO, there is NO secret Kung Fu way for us to get from the Cave Exit back to the Cave Entrance. It is just as long of a distance for us as it is for you.

Now people want to know WHY I'm volunteering. They think I'm back on the payroll (nope, didn't even compete for employment). They think I'm trying to build up my ranger resume. Nope. They think I'm trying to volunteer for the 240 hours required to earn an interagency pass. Nope. We've been buying those annually for years (since they started the program?). While I'm no Mother Theresa (or is it Teresa?), I just want to help a little. Just a little. That's all. The truth can be so hard to swallow at times. I just like hanging around the old place.