The Wisdom of Irene: Choosing How We Show Up
On a recent camping trip to the Oregon Coast, my husband and I lucked into the very last spot at a campground for Labor Day Weekend. The lot wasn’t ideal - directly across from the bathrooms, showers, and a lively grassy area filled with picnic tables and games - but we were grateful for it. We only stayed one night, but that was all it took to meet someone unforgettable.
That evening, I noticed a Park Host setting up activities at one of the picnic tables. She hula-hooped while waiting for people to arrive, greeting everyone walking by with a cheerful “hello.” Her name was Irene, and her energy was impossible to ignore.
I stopped to comment on the fun-looking setup, expecting it was for kids. Irene smiled and said, “It’s for all ages.” We chatted briefly about how attendance might be light with campers still arriving and setting up. As I headed to the showers, I wished her luck. When I came back out, no one had joined her. I jokingly said, “Looks like you’ve got the night off,” but Irene’s reply hit me:
“Yes, but then I miss out on sharing all of the fun activities and information with folks. It’s always fun interacting with different campers.”
Her perspective was refreshing, a reminder that joy is found in connection, not convenience.
The next morning, as my husband and I sipped coffee and began packing up, Irene was at it again. This time her table was covered with artifacts: cormorant skulls, crab shells, rocks from the area. Soon a boy in striped pajama bottoms rolled up on a scooter, curious and full of questions. Irene welcomed him with the same big smile, encouraging his curiosity and letting him explore.
It was delightful to watch the two of them interact. Soon, more kids joined in, and eventually parents too. At one point the boy excitedly radioed his dad: “You’ve got to come over here! There is so much cool stuff!” And he did.
My husband noticed me lingering on the sidelines and said, “Honey, just go over there. You know you want to.” He was right. Even without kids of my own in tow, I wanted to join. Irene welcomed me just as warmly, and the boy eagerly showed me the treasures on the table. For a few moments, I was right there in the wonder of it all and having conversations with the parents and all at the table.
Before leaving the campground when the program was over, I told Irene how much I admired her passion, positive outlook and patience with each person, and asked if I could write about her. She said graciously agreed and said something that has stayed with me:
“I feel it is my job to create a space in the park where each individual can make the park their own.”
She went on to describe how she works with different folks and explained how some kids see the Junior Ranger Activity Book as “schoolwork,” so she tells them: “You can share what you see verbally, draw pictures, make shapes, or just talk about what you notice—because everyone learns and sees the world differently.”
That simple philosophy - meeting people where they are - explains why Irene connects so deeply with every camper she encounters.
I learned Irene is a retired middle school science teacher from Tucson, Arizona, who taught for 35 years. In retirement, she now spends summers volunteering at state and national parks, leading educational programs. When I commented on her positive outlook, she smiled and said:
“You have a choice to make.”
That’s the lesson Irene left me with: every day, we get to choose how we show up.
So, I’ll leave you with the same question she inspired in me:
👉 How do you want to show up today?
Because we all, in her words, “…have a choice.”
