Leadership Wyoming Graduation Thoughts
Leadership Wyoming helped me grow both outwardly, inwardly, and up. I was forced to go to inner places that I have tried so hard to avoid. Tiny towns like Lusk and Kaycee started to remind me of myself: a little broken, a little weathered, but with hidden charm and resiliency. It seemed that in every little town I learned something.
I treasured the soft-spoken, unhurried conversations and the lack of ice machines and automatic hand dryers. I bought a lapel pin at each small gas station just so I wouldn’t forget my journey across our state and with myself. I have always loved Wyoming, but I found I really learned to love the prairies, the red hills, the deer, the mountains, and me. There are so many little treasures that are so hard to reach. I am so thankful that Leadership Wyoming helped me find them.
Last night at graduation I sat next to a delightful woman from Gillette. I told her that we were hurting for them and together we were going to help our state figure out a better tomorrow. In September, I would be back to Gillette with a little surprise and a lot of joy for their children. I told her that their smiles and happiness mattered to us, all the way down in Cheyenne. With tears she said, “you don’t know how much that means to me to know that you all care and that we haven’t been forgotten.” Nine months ago, I would not have been able to say that with such conviction and sincerity. I have always felt like we are one state and one community, but after being there, really being there, now I know it.
I lined those lapel pins on my table tonight and already I can’t remember which one I bought where, but it doesn’t matter, they will all stay near and dear to my heart.
I treasured the soft-spoken, unhurried conversations and the lack of ice machines and automatic hand dryers. I bought a lapel pin at each small gas station just so I wouldn’t forget my journey across our state and with myself. I have always loved Wyoming, but I found I really learned to love the prairies, the red hills, the deer, the mountains, and me. There are so many little treasures that are so hard to reach. I am so thankful that Leadership Wyoming helped me find them.
Last night at graduation I sat next to a delightful woman from Gillette. I told her that we were hurting for them and together we were going to help our state figure out a better tomorrow. In September, I would be back to Gillette with a little surprise and a lot of joy for their children. I told her that their smiles and happiness mattered to us, all the way down in Cheyenne. With tears she said, “you don’t know how much that means to me to know that you all care and that we haven’t been forgotten.” Nine months ago, I would not have been able to say that with such conviction and sincerity. I have always felt like we are one state and one community, but after being there, really being there, now I know it.
I lined those lapel pins on my table tonight and already I can’t remember which one I bought where, but it doesn’t matter, they will all stay near and dear to my heart.
