Take a moment to sit quietly and be thankful for all you have.

I saw that affirmation on social media, and it resonated with me.

Perhaps we’re spoiled here. We are surrounded with the beauty of nature and need to merely step outside to see the stars, or trees or grass. Too many times to count I have stopped my vehicle for animals in the road — pheasant, bear, grouse, deer, turkey, raccoon, opossum, beaver or even a huge vulture or two.

Nearly 30 years ago now, I went to Arizona to spent the summer with my brother and his family, watching his children while school was out. It was the first time I had been any great distance from home.

There are a lot of differences between McKean County and Maricopa County. And for this small town teen, it was a bit of a shock. I expected it to be hot. I left on a 54 degree June day in McKean County. It was 94 when I got off the plane.

There were more shocks in store for me. My brother laughed, but my nephew was puzzled as to why I wasn’t impressed with their 8-foot by 8-foot plot of grass in the backyard. And he wanted a riding lawn mower for it.

The predominant colors were red and brown, not the verdant landscapes of which I was familiar.

We went to a zoo; it had a raccoon. In the zoo. In a habitat. I was confused.

I learned a lot that summer. They didn’t play in the rain in Arizona. It wasn’t a clear, cleansing downpour leaving everything gleaming and fresh. Because of the massive amount of dust in the air, the rain was almost like mud.

Rainfall was sporadic, but afterwards, people lined up to wash their vehicles.

There was plenty of beauty in the landscape in the Southwest, but I was glad to come home. Flying in to Bradford Airport, looking out at the window at all the green, hearing the pilot say the August temperature was 54 degrees, I really felt like I was home.

I have a dear friend who lives in Maryland who came up to visit me awhile back. My daughter and I took her and her son around the region, showing them, among other things, the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk, the Zippo Museum and, of course, The Era office.

I tend to forget, as I’m sure we all do, how beautiful McKean County — and the local region — really is.

A few weeks back, I received a press release from the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau about its Allegheny Ambassador program. It’s an online educational course about the Allegheny National Forest region.

It’s designed for people who work in hospitality, sales and marketing, especially those who frequently interact with visitors and guests. Intrigued, I went to the bureau’s website to see what it was all about.

I ended up taking — and passing — the six-lesson course. There’s no charge, and participants learn even more about the beauty surrounding us. Did you know the waters and wetlands of the region support 24 families of fish and approximately 20 species each of amphibians and reptiles?

I learned about it through this program. The folks at the bureau put a tremendous amount of work into that program. I’m sure it will have a huge impact for tourists coming to the area.

Last year there were participants from 19 states and Canada who came to Bradford for the Jeep Jamboree. And this year, there will a group of local folks wearing Allegheny Ambassador pins — myself included — who will can answer questions about things to do between off-road adventures.

So take a moment, look around and see the quiet beauty of the region. Appreciate it. Be thankful for it. And know there are people out there planning a vacation to come here — a place we are lucky enough to call home.

(Schellhammer is the Era’s associate editor. She can be reached at marcie@bradfordera.com)