Shimmering Summer

As I sit here surrounded by the quiet hum of computers and the faint sounds of country music flowing through this air conditioned office, there is an overwhelming sense of unrest in my soul. I'm attempting to gather my thoughts into one cohesive post, but it's like trying to gather every speck of sparkling glitter off of carpet. At first it's easy, the top layer is scooped up easily and quickly and put back into it's rightful place. The second layer is a little tougher; for this job you need a vacuum or a broom. You have to dig deep down into the carpet to pull the shimmering fragments out, but as you dig deeper it seems that some of the remaining glitter just sinks further into the carpet. Try as you might but that glitter is not coming up; eventually you find it's just best to leave it, after all, glitter is beautiful. Now every time you walk past that section of carpet something catches your eye and for years to come there is that small reminder of the wonderful time you had or the beautiful craft you made. The glitter and the carpet have become one.

Over the past 4 weeks I have been the carpet and Extension has been my glitter. My aunt has always hated glitter because she says its messy and I don't disagree. The past month has, in some ways, been extremely messy. Literally speaking, I've worked with horses, I've seen more snakes than I ever needed to,  I've sweated, I've had paperwork strewn from wall to wall and I've been buried alive in t-shirt scraps and ribbon fragments. I learned early on that often times the uniform of an extension agent is one composed of hard work, sweat and a little dirt but the physical messiness of the job is fun for me, it's the other kind that makes this job challenging.

Last week I spent my 8th year at North Central 4-H Camp in Carlisle. I'm a 4-H camp pro at this point but this was my first experience at camp with a significant amount of responsibility. I and my fellow counselors, found it somewhat difficult to balance our former relationship as friends and our new relationship, in which I was leading them. I was challenged daily to push myself and those around me to new heights to ensure the safety and well-being of our campers and that got a little messy. By the end of the week I was beyond exhausted but also fulfilled in a new and exciting way. There is no greater reward than the precious hug of a child as they rush off to their parents with a head full of exciting stories and experiences to share.
The physical mess of extension is that first layer of glitter. At the end of the day when all is said and done, I can scoop those parts up and put them back where they belong. Boots will wash, paperwork can always be organized and craft supplies will always be put away. Of course those things have made an impact on my life and have taught me valuable lessons but they aren't the parts that stick down deep.

The second layer is a tough one to recognize; it's the layer of lessons and experiences that are making a more profound impact on my life. It's not permanent; eventually those pieces will come up too, but for the time being they look and feel permanent. Things like my impeccable ability to design four different flyers in an hour and get them all posted on Facebook are important things. The experience I've had here in this office will help me greatly, however at some point down the road that layer is going to be replaced by another. Another opportunity will come along and spill a different color glitter on top of that one, replacing that second layer of glitter.


The third and final layer is irreplaceable; it's the layer that is so deeply ingrained into my heart that for as long as I'm alive I'll be able to see traces of that sparkling 4-H green and UK blue. These are the experiences that my head and heart are so full of today; the sweet hug from my camp little sister as she climbs off the bus, the first smile from a young girl with issues more saddening than any I've ever known, the sound of a shy girls bellowing laughter under the stars of 4-H Camp, the grin on a little boys face as he announces that for the first time all week he's eaten a full meal, the head held high as a 4th grader exits the ring beaming with her third place ribbon, these are the memories that stay. These, paired with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and humility, are what keep me awake at night. For as long as I live they'll be right here in my heart, shimmering little reminders of Extension and all it stands for and means to me.