A Job for One Day, A Longing for More

There’s something meaningful about watching an animal return to the wild. After weeks or months of care—feeding, tending injuries, creating safe spaces—it comes down to a simple moment: a gate opens, and the animal walks or hops or flies back into the world. I’d like to be there for that. For a day. Maybe more.

Being a Wildlife Carer (Field Release), even for one day, feels like joining in something important. The work is practical—checking recovery sites, helping with release—but it’s also hopeful. It’s about doing what’s needed so that something vulnerable can survive on its own.

I respect people who work long-term on big problems. People who remove threats, restore land, and think in decades. People who, like Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, start with an idea and slowly build something lasting. I admire organisations like Australian Wildlife Conservancy, who restore damaged ecosystems and reintroduce native species.

I know this work takes time, effort, and support. It’s not easy. But I’d like to help—even just for a day. Maybe as a regular volunteer. Maybe more often over time.

Some jobs you try once and remember. Others you try once and keep thinking about. This might be one of those.

Just for a day,
I want to open the gate,
watch soft feet meet grass,
and let something wild go free.

Not mine to name,
not mine to keep—
only to return.

The work is quiet,
scratched by wire,
measured in patience,
built on hope.

Some do this daily,
restoring what was broken.
I could join them,
carry something,
hold a moment.

Some jobs stay with you—
soft as fur,
quiet as instinct.

Daily writing prompt

What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?

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