Stewardship

"Stewardship is service to the community, both people and the environment, for both the present and the future."
                                                                                                       -Suna, Sally, Eleanore

Following the definitions of stewardship that we formed, the team set out for the Vogel Hill this morning to contribute what we can to this beautiful place called Wyoming. After hiking up the hill, indulging ourselves in the absolute beauty of the Sleeping Indian and the Tetons in the distance, we reached our final destination where we decided to leave our own little trace.

Together, we built a trail approximately 125 yards long. With our pick-axes, shovels, and rakes, we lined up and got to work, ambitiously weeding the tufts of plants and smoothing out the path for the many feet, hooves, paws, and claws that will step the trail.

Though it might take a simple one minute to walk along this path, it took us two hours under the scorching sun to finish it. As our bodies gradually became covered in dirt and sweat, we never lost our smiles and pride that we received from the satisfaction of rooting each and every weed in our path. 

Upon completion, the crew took a walk down the newborn road, an experience way more exhilarating than skipping down a red carpet. After finally realizing the back-breaking labor behind a simple trail, we also discovered the incredible feeling of accomplishment that comes with stewardship.

On this very day, our stewardship wasn't just a contribution to today's society that will walk down the trail, nor to the animals that will now have safer homes. It was also a gift to the future generations that will be able to join hands with nature and become one with the pristine environment. Just as Laurance S. Rockefeller had desired, our stewardship today will help people to step away from modern life, its complexities, and its pressures to undergo a spiritual and physical renewal.

It is doubtful that generations far in the future will know and appreciate that ten teenagers created the short yet endless portion of the Vogel Hill path.  However, as we all learned today, stewardship isn't taking joy from what we get- it's from what we give.

-Sally Na

The crew chopping, picking, shoveling, and raking away