Just as bitter and just as cold as it is today (but without the snow) I didn't care how much I had to bundle up then because I was ready to head out to the beaches and start pole pounding to create a fenced in sanctuary for piping plovers and other beach nesting shorebirds. I was out of shape, so every day was exhausting and the first few weeks on the job were a vicious cycle of waking up, working, coming home and just dying to get into bed again because I was so sore and tired. But quickly, my body adapted, and as I gained some muscle and started learning how to eat right, I was able to keep up. I spent my evenings painting shells I collected during the day's work, and in my dreams I reminisced about the plover tracks we spent the day's hours looking for.. only hoping they would lead up to a nest of eggs. The days got longer and warmer, we began finding those eggs, and before I knew it, Josh was done with school too and moving in with me to start a field job of his own working on an oyster farm.
Days on the windy beach bundled up in 40 layers IDing plovers through a scope turned into days in shorts and a tee (since Todd didn't allow us to wear tank tops) sitting in a beach chair supervising the plover chicks. Weekends went from being my off days to being the busiest days of the week; patrolling the tourist surrounded fenced in areas of beach nester habitat, and leading bird walks at the Cape May Point State Park. I got to drive around in an official state vehicle and even got to hold some authority over the people that thought our birds didn't matter. It felt awesome. I worked with an amazing group of people. Besides the daily lecturing of annoying people and telling rule-breakers to get their dogs off the beach every constantly, the job was a dream come true.
That summer Josh also proposed to me and I turned 23 which felt so old and almost like one of those out-of-body experiences.. because I still can't come to terms with the fact I'm a real live adult and no longer a teenager. I was busier than ever between working 40 hour weeks and pursuing my art business on the side, but Josh and I still found time for our evening walks on the beach to see the sun set, fun exploring the town, and appreciating every bit of living at the shore.
I was fortunate enough to get another amazing field job working for NJ Audubon following the beach nesting bird project, so it made leaving the job easier knowing I was on my way to pursuing something new. That something new was studying migrating monarchs in Cape May, and from there I found my passion and truly fell in love. As the days shortened and temperatures began to drop, I didn't even care because fall was one of my favorite times of the year, and as orange butterflies dotted the sky everything felt just right. It felt strange to not being moving into school again as summer came to an end, but I definitely was able to easily adjust. As farm stands replaced their fruits for pumpkins I couldn't help but get the overwhelming sensation of Autumn, Halloween-time, and the eagerness to cook and bake absolutely everything possible with canned pumpkin. What I didn't realize as I challenged time to keep moving was everything that I was losing in the process.
Soon that job came to an end too. For a challenging year for the monarchs I was depressed for them, yet still grateful for the incredible experience which helped guide me where I wanted to go. My fear that came with the end of this field job was that I didn't have another one that would follow. Winter time in Cape May is slow.. and besides the excitement of the holidays, there was little left to look forward to in my level of personal accomplishments and resume-building. I had been offered a research position working for the renowned Dr. Lincoln Brower at Sweet Briar University, but due to his necessity to be in Mexico for research, he was no longer able to hire me. This left me vulnerable to the types of jobs I had always cringed at the thought of being stuck in; retail, or waitressing. I could stay unemployed but my art business was far from anything to support me financially or at least to contribute towards what Josh was making. I was desperate and knew that I had to get a real job, so I applied to PetSmart. 4 months later (and still 2 to go), I'm still there and surprisingly don't mind it. I get to help customers with their pets' needs, do daily animal care of the pets in the store, and be a part of a corporation that is known for the animal charities it supports. Throughout the job, I had applied for and turned down other stronger opportunities, after finding out that Josh had been accepted to a graduate program at University of Florida that would start in June. With a wedding and move in the same month, it would be too difficult and stressful for me to stay in New Jersey once he would be moving to Florida. For that reason also, I am not a part of the beach nesting bird team this season. So one year from the start of an incredible opportunity, I unfortunately am not repeating it. Instead, I am planning a wedding that's in two months and getting ready for a move to Florida that will open a new door of possibilities and opportunities. I am also sad to miss another summer season in Cape May that seemed to come and go so quickly last year. I didn't hold onto and cherish the moments as I should have, because I assumed like we do about most things, that the opportunity and the same feeling will come again. I always knew I could walk through the ocean, watch birds through my binoculars on the beach and feel the sand beneath my feet whenever I want under the warmth of the summer heat. I felt that I could come back to work with the beachnesters again in the future. I even thought there was a possibility I could be here again for a better monarch season, to work with them all over again and hopefully with stronger numbers. I didn't expect us to move on so quickly, but we did, and because of that I will not get those chances again, at least not now and not here in Cape May. Make sure you never let the moments you treasure pass you by without a tight grasp and holding onto them for just an extra second. We're always in such a rush to get to where we don't even know we are going... that you look back and wish you took a second to just stop and really look around. Time gets lost, and it can't be replaced.
Just one year ago I was opening the door to adulthood, and since then so much has changed. I wish the year went by slower so I could appreciate it more.. but the time that has passed has only brought me closer to such life-changing events. That door of my first field job has led to more pathways, new doors, and unfortunately some hurdles and closets filled with standstill opportunities that feel like they are taking me nowhere, but it's all just a filler until I get to the point in my life where I'm able to accept the jobs I want and be ready to take them. It will all happen because of my past experiences that helped get me where I want to be.. and I can't wait to find out where that is!
Isn't it so amazing what one year can bring? Don't let yours slip away too quickly.. cherish them while you can!
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