By John Williams
People often ask me why I volunteer as a Texas Master Naturalist, and honestly, the answer is simple: it just feels right. After I retired from working in the cut flower industry, I wanted to spend my time doing something meaningful-something that kept me learning, kept me connected, and let me give back to the place I call home. One Saturday I was visiting Confluence Park for a tree giveaway, and I saw an outreach table for Texas Master Naturalists. I spoke with the volunteers and quickly realized this might be something interesting.
Now, as the Community Outreach Director for our chapter, I’ve discovered numerous reasons why this role inspires me every day.
I like taking care of the land that takes care of us. Working with native plants and wildlife gives me a chance to make a difference. Whether I’m out in a pollinator garden or helping with a restoration project, I feel like I’m doing my small part to keep our local ecosystems healthy.
I love talking with people. Some of my favorite moments happen at outreach events. At a pollinator event, a young girl was curious about monarch caterpillars eating some milkweed. When she realized that this tiny striped creature would become a butterfly she saw in her neighborhood, her face lit up. At another event, a father and son were matching leaves in one of our games. When the boy learned that the big shade tree in their yard was a native live oak that supports hundreds of species, he turned to his dad and said, “We’re helping the animals without even knowing it!” Those little sparks of curiosity make my day. Sharing what I know helps people feel more connected to the natural world around them.
I’m always learning something new. Nature never runs out of surprises. Every project teaches me something: a new plant, a new insect, a new way of looking at the land. On a foggy morning workday at Centennial Garden, I noticed something I’d never seen before. The Skeleton-Leaf Goldeneye was covered in delicate beads of condensation and dozens of spiderwebs were visible on the tips of all the branches with numerous egg sacks. I walk past those shrubs every week and only see a single web, but the fog revealed an entire hidden community living right there beside us. That morning reminded me that nature is always doing more than we realize, and every visit to the garden offers a chance to learn something new.
It gives me purpose. Being part of the Alamo Area Texas Master Naturalists lets me use the skills I’ve built over a lifetime-communication, outreach, mentoring-in a way that not only helps people and the environment but gives me a strong sense of purpose at this time in my life.
It’s meaningful work, and it continues to bring me a lot of joy.
