What Kind of World Do I Want to Leave Behind?

We all make daily decisions about how we use our limited resources, especially our time, talent, and money. The world around us is a direct result of the ordinary choices we make each day. More than anything else, we will be remembered for the world we create through these choices during our lifetime.

Because they are limited, the things we choose to invest these precious resources in directly reflect our values. Every time we make a choice, we shape the world around us in small but significant ways. In a sense, whether we play the stock market or not, we are all investors in the world we want through every decision we make.

Time

More than anything else, how we spend our time shows what we value. Our calendars truly reflect what matters to us. The things we care about, whether it’s relationships, places, communities, or work, fill up our schedules.

For those in the LRWP community, caring for nature is often close to their hearts, so some give their time through volunteer work. Without these volunteers, we wouldn’t exist, nor would the preserves we protect. What we tend to, we will leave as our legacy. Our volunteers will leave the world Eagle Marsh and our other preserves.

Talent

Talents are special abilities that each of us has. We can see them in two ways: (1) as tools for personal growth, and/or (2) as gifts to help others. Either way, their use results in creating something valuable for someone. If we focus on ourselves, we'll surely enrich our own lives. If we focus on the greater good, we will make the world around us better.

Those who contribute their talents to LRWP leave northeast Indiana a little better because our work benefits the common good. It takes many skills to protect and restore wetlands and to educate the public about their importance. Sharing your unique gifts creates a world fueled by generosity, and that world is far more beautiful than one driven solely by self-interest because it benefits everyone.

Money

Money has no inherent value of its own. Its worth depends on what it can be used for. If used to buy furniture, its value is that of the furniture. If used to support wetlands, its value equals the wetland's worth. However, there is a fundamental difference in who benefits. Consumed products benefit the consumer, while protected nature benefits everyone.

Donors who support LRWP contribute the services that wetlands provide, not only for their own benefit but for the benefit of everyone. Clean water, flood control, and carbon sequestration cannot be separated for the advantage of an individual; they benefit both human society and nature. Investing in natural systems is truly an investment for all, today and in the future.

As we look around, we see evidence of our investments everywhere. The time we dedicate, the talents we share, and the money we contribute are reflected throughout our community. Not everything is exactly as we would like it, but our influence is visible in small ways everywhere. Take, for example, Eagle Marsh. Once a flooded farm field, it is now a restored wetland that supports hundreds of species and attracts thousands of visitors each year. And Eagle Marsh is not alone; we have five other properties that support its purpose. There will be more as we work hard to acquire additional properties. Like investing our personal resources, each acquisition, whether small or large, is a meaningful step forward. These small, yet faithful, investments compound over generations.

That said, we do not shape the world alone. We must not get discouraged when progress is slow. This year, we celebrated 35 years as a land trust. Wetland protection and restoration take time. Rest assured, we are in it for the long haul. While wetlands are protected in various ways in the area, we believe that the best method is private acquisition and management. That’s what we do.

So, the questions remain: What kind of world am I quietly helping to create today? How am I spending my time? Where am I using my talents? What am I supporting financially? We must align the answers to these questions with our values so that the world we build reflects our ideals. Then we can rest assured that the world we leave is, at least in our own small way, the future we want others to enjoy.