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There's spaces of protection
whether it's a moment in time
or whether it's an ecosystem.
If they weren't there
something else might be there
like high-rise, shopping mall, or parking lot, or whatever.
People ask me how I got interested
in the National Park Service
and I have to say it was because of the Girl Scouts
which sounds totally corny.
But when I was a kid, I was a Girl Scout
and went on a lot of camping trips
and I went back packing
I was like, wow this is really fun.
From 1994 to just now I've been a superintendent
at many different park service units
across the United States.
This is part of the gig moving around
and being in different places.
Now, our kids fortunately have always been
able to kind of find their way.
My husband decided to stay home.
So it's worked out okay.
I tend to be a person that is always on a deadline
gotta get some to do
and the only time I've ever had a break
is when I had my kids
and I was on maternity leave
that's the only break I've had for 30 years.
So this whole retirement thing
it's gonna give me the opportunity
to do something different.
With horses, I kinda feel the same way around them
that I do when I'm out in the back country of the wilderness.
They really are mirrors of you.
They taught me to
to slow down
and be calm and present.
I've remember talking about to one of my instructors
and we'd be coordinating when my lesson was gonna be
and I say well I am out of town that week
and she said it kind of that work thing isn't it
and I said yeah it is.
Even though I love what I've done
you know for thirty-something years.
I can't
do all of what I want to do
and still work.
With horses you always want to and your ride on good note
so I've had to really learn when to stop
and when to say the hey this was good today
I'm satisfied with what I've done.
That's pretty much what this next
chapter is all about.