This year, I spent my birthday at an elevation of 1,657 feet. Usually, I’m one of those people that doesn’t really like to celebrate their birthday. Ever since I was little, I never loved being the center of attention, and most years I tend to let the day just pass me by. This year my birthday was on a Tuesday, and I went into the office like it was any other day. I spent the morning working on some projects, before eventually taking a break and heading down to the kitchen to heat up my lunch. There, I ran into my coworker and got to chatting about our weekends. She told me that just the day before she went on a hike. She met up with some of her girl friends and together they hiked up a mountain to watch the sunset. I told her that it sounded like fun, and she asked me if I had ever been there before. I had heard of Foss Mountain but had never made the time to visit. It’s a short uphill hike with panoramic views known for its blueberries in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter. I softly told her that I’d never been, where she then insisted that I just had to see it before I left the area at the end of the term. And just like that, I had plans for my birthday.
I met back up with my coworker later in the afternoon and together, we piled into her truck and began our drive. After a short thirty minutes, we reached the base of the mountain and began our ascent. It was early October, so the weather was warm, the wind was cool, and the leaves had already started to change. The sun wasn’t due to set for another hour or two, so neither one of us felt in a rush. We took our time and chatted about random topics with each other as we ambled up the mountain. Overall, it was a very peaceful evening. We had nowhere to be and nothing to do other than watch the sunset.
I’ve done a lot of cool things throughout my eleven-month service term, yet somehow that day has been one that’s stuck with me the most. Objectively, there was nothing overly special about that Tuesday, it was too cloudy to see the sun actually set and we had to leave before we got rained on. But what I think stood out to me the most was the kindness of my coworker to take me on this hike. It certainly wasn’t something she had to do, but she felt passionate about me getting to see the mountaintop and took time out of her day to go with me. One of the things that I think can get a little lost in the world of conservation is nature’s connection with people. Being an advocate for the environment is important, but it’s also important to share it with others. Because of my coworker’s enthusiasm for her favorite mountain, I got to spend my birthday outdoors, and it’s a kindness that won’t be quickly forgotten.
Mackenzie Sirrine is currently serving at Green Mountain Conservation Group as the organization’s Education and Outreach Assistant. She can usually be found outdoors, befriending trees along the trails. Learn more about Mackenzie here.