2023-Sierran-digital - Flipbook - Page 14
The Bene昀椀ts of Being Lost
By Sam Lambert
Like many, the waning daylight and upcoming winter
months leave me in an introspective frame of mind. As
I re昀氀ect on the past few years and my journey to the
Sierra Club, one of my fondest childhood memories
continues to feature prominently.
“Want to get lost?”... A question I looked forward to on
weekends throughout my younger years. We would pile
in the car, with my Dad behind the wheel, and just drive.
We would take turns being in charge, yelling “take a left…
now a right…” until we saw something or someplace
that made us stop. The stops were as varied as mine
and my siblings’ personalities and gave us a greater
appreciation for each other as well as experiences that
we would not have chosen for ourselves. Now, I should
preface, my Dad was a cab driver who seemingly had
road atlases imprinted in his mind and yet, he never
failed to surrender to the random directions shouted
out or encourage us to see the wonder in what made
one of us decide to pause (mine always tended to be a
new trailhead).
I’m sure you are asking how this childhood tradition
resulted in my joining the staff of the Sierra Club? Simply.
I embraced getting lost, once again.
food justice and urban agriculture organization that
allowed me to satisfy my need for physical labor as well
as lend my marketing skills to grow our reach.
After several years volunteering with this organization
and a foray into local politics, I found myself in the midst
of a pandemic and feeling quite lost, as so many did. I
was reevaluating my impact on the world around me
and I had a choice… I could stay the course and follow
the invisible map I had plotted or I could follow the voice
in my head yelling “take a left!” and go off course. When
a full time staff opportunity became available, I took
that turn and took a chance on a new path.
While working with that organization, we were
supporting a plastic bag ban presented by a city
councilor. One of the letters of support read at the
council meeting came from the Massachusetts Sierra
Club, an organization I knew little about at the time.
The ban passed and I began looking more closely at the
chapter, curious about the larger work and mission. My
work in food justice and urban agriculture put me in close
proximity with the environment and I knew 昀椀rsthand
the threats of climate change in our community. Food
insecurity would grow to an unmanageable scale if we
did not address the underlying environmental issues.
When I saw a job posting for a Political and Municipal
Organizer at the chapter, I felt the call of another turn
and possibly a new destination.
These last nine months on staff, I have felt an immense
sense of gratitude and responsibility. Throughout my
time here, we have accomplished so much and yet, it
never feels enough. I am acutely aware of the impacts of
each interaction and the weight of the decisions made
on real people, in real communities. I feel the urgency to
implement lasting structural change.
I am forever thankful for those early lessons from my
Dad, encouraging us to explore new paths and embrace
the wonder of the unknown. Finally, I have a deep sense
of gratitude for you, our members and supporters, who
support this work in ways big and small; sharing your
own journeys and allowing me to appreciate whole
new perspectives that I may never have stopped to
appreciate.
My early career spanned customer service, project
management, and eventually sales & marketing in
various corporate industries, providing opportunities to
build on natural strengths while honing skills that were
not so intuitive. I was also a serial volunteer, always
looking for the chance to work in alignment with my
principles. The latter experience brought me to a local
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As we close this year and look forward to all of the
opportunities 2024 will present us with, remember
the difference you make with each action, whether it is
signing a letter of support, making a donation, or giving
of your time and expertise. You are not only supporting
and doing the work to Explore, Enjoy, and Protect our
Planet, but you never know who’s personal journey you
are inspiring.
