Arkansas, not a state that was on my "places to see" list. That all changed one night at Ruby Tuesday's when Gold 4 found out that we would be spending three weeks at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, located just outside of Little Rock. Now that we have returned from our first SPIKE, I can say that it was a worthwhile trip, one that I would repeat in an instant.
Even before arriving in Charleston I looked at AmeriCorps as a way to gain exposure: to people, experiences and places that I would not otherwise have the opportunity to become familiar with. From these things I hope to learn more about myself, and what direction I would like my life to go. My time spent working at Pinnacle and living at Ferncliff was filled with life lessons. These 'lessons' were not filled with new information, but acted more as a reminder of things I have been told, or witness to, in the past.
To me, the most effective instructor was one of our sponsors. He is someone that probably never thought of himself as a teacher, but in his actions, that is what he is. Unfortunately, I did not get to spend a great deal of time with him, but the time I did have, had quite an impact.
Jim is a quiet man that we all know lives: coffee, Phyllis' cooking, Buck, hard work, . . . In his presence I learned about Pinnacle and the other state parks, but most importantly, through his actions Jim showed us all how to appreciate what we come across in life. A beautiful view, a fresh cup of coffee, a stone that fits perfectly; all things to be appreciated, not taken for granted. It was eye opening to see someone live his life this way rather than just talking about how one should live.
Arkansas is now on my "Places to return to" list. I miss the beauty and the challenges found at Pinnacle Mountain, as well as the people we spent our days with. You really don't know where your next lesson will be learned. I never thought mine would be on the side of a mountain.
Kristen Baranowski