"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” As I prepare to leave New Hanover County to step into the role of Mecklenburg County Extension Director, I find myself returning to these iconic lines from Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken. My own path has often been defined by the choices less traveled, leading me on a journey of deep-rooted connections that I will carry with me forever.
I could spend pages thanking the people and organizations who have walked alongside me. I have been shaped by so many mentors, dear friends, and even those who originally came to me for help, only to end up enlightening me through our shared work.
Change is the only constant in a garden, and this summer, it is time for me to say farewell to our beautiful learning laboratory. This office and its grounds are a place like no other in the state—a sanctuary where we foster personal growth in ourselves while supporting the same in others.
Twenty years ago, when I first took the NC State Extension Master Gardener course, the term therapeutic horticulture was entirely unknown to me. It was the Ability Garden that opened my eyes to a world of new possibilities. In the ensuing years, I have come to see that our N.C. Cooperative Extension office is the very epitome of therapeutic horticulture. Our staff is dedicated to enriching lives through nature engagement, positive socialization, and the building of resilient, healthy habits. The gardens provide the focal point, allowing the true work of human connection to happen naturally.
Whether we were close friends or you occasionally found my passion to be a bit much, I want to thank you for the beautiful life you helped foster here in Wilmington. I was granted the rare gift of doing work I loved while having the time and space to raise my family. That balance is not easy to find, and I am profoundly grateful for the community that supported it.
As Emily Dickinson once wrote of nature’s quiet power, "The Woods were made for the wise of heart." I leave this county with a heart much wiser than when I arrived, filled with unforgettable memories of the Cape Fear region.
I am ready to take the lessons learned in Wilmington and apply them to the Charlotte area. Although New Hanover and Mecklenburg differ greatly in size, the core issues of growth, sustainability, and community health remain strikingly similar. I feel the skills I have developed here are well-suited for the challenges that await me in the Piedmont.
I begin my new chapter in Mecklenburg County on June 1st. While my surroundings will change, my commitment to this work remains steadfast. My email will remain the same: hlkeleji@ncsu.edu.
Thank you, New Hanover, for the paths we walked together. It has made all the difference.
