Personal Perspectives

Personal perspectives make each of us unique, and we’re lucky enough to have more than 60,000 Employees and theirs at Southwest. This quarter Cheryl Wolf shares about her Southwest career and how she taps into her creative side thraough journalism and art. Let’s continue to learn from each other and lean on our personal perspectives regarding respect, family, and our Company Values.

To bring these stories to life, we asked volunteers to share more about their lives, their journey with Southwest Airlines, and what it’s like to be them. As you read each of these Employee stories, we hope it’s a reminder how important it is to love and support one another, and continue to live by The Golden Rule. If you’re interested in sharing your story, email LUVLines@wnco.com

Cheryl Wolf

FLL Station Administrative Coordinator

My name is Cheryl, and I’ve been with Southwest for six years. I’m currently at the Fort Lauderdale Station. Many know me for my artistic abilities through writing, art, and travel. Few know about my fascination with all things fierce—a fascination that’s sparked my passion for nature’s most ferocious creatures, big cats. My dream job was to be the next Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey, traveling the globe to study felines in their natural habitats. That dream took a detour after struggling through college zoology and chemistry coursework.

Navigating a series of career zigzags allowed me to enhance my knowledge, skills, and talents in journalism, travel, and aviation. I learned to maximize the impact of each stop along the way, but never gave up on finding that sweet spot where passions and career intertwine. In 2016, while editing biology books for an academic publisher, an ad for a part-time Southwest Customer Service Agent (CSA) caught my eye. Initially I thought, “what a great side hustle,” but a week after completing training, I was offered a full-time position. Instinct and intuition drove me to take a leap of faith. Steve Jobs once said, “Intuition is more powerful than intellect.” I’ve since moved from CSA to a Station Administrative Coordinator. I’m beyond grateful for my journey, job, and the fantastic travel perks.

Traveling to destinations with national parks, nature preserves, and wildlife sanctuaries stokes my creative fire. I still dabble in freelance writing, art, and photography and never lost big love for big cats, who often prowl their way into my artistic endeavors.

In 2019, I traveled to Belize to try and catch a rare glimpse of one of the world’s most mysterious wild cats. Belize is a country that embraces wild cat conservation and is home to the world’s only jaguar preserve. Besides the jaguar, this lush jungle nirvana is home to the puma, jaguarundi, margay, and ocelot.

I selected a local hiking guide and trekked into the jaguar reserve. My uncertainty about hiking alone must have angered the Mayan rain god, Chaac, who unleashed two days of raging thunderstorms. As I waited, I debated until my inner-Sheena flipped the bravery switch. A 4WD pickup hauled me up the four-mile, one-lane, steep gravel road to the trailheads. Jostling dips, bumps, and potholes frayed my fragile nerves. Mud-slick ruts deep enough to suck the boot right off your foot flanked either side of the narrow road.

About two miles up, I sprung out to examine an unusual pattern along the road’s edge. Distinctive, sizable cat tracks pressed into the soft terrain. I tiptoed gingerly around them to capture photographic evidence.

Later, as a park ranger examined my photos, he uttered four words that induced fear and euphoria.

“Definitely fresh jaguar tracks.”

I hit the trail armed with only a camera, compass, eight ounces of water, and one ounce of courage, instantly regretting bringing nothing for self-defense. My heart rate subsided as I moved with quiet deliberation deeper into the stunning jungle tapestry of shapes, textures, sounds, and 50 shades of green. Every time I paused to listen, nature rewarded me. Noisy crunching led to an agouti sitting upright like a plump squirrel. A rhythmic drumming exposed a red-crested woodpecker.

Resting by the banks of a swift flowing river, I gazed up into a cathedral of towering trees interlaced with vines. No golden orbs staring back at me. Slightly disappointing. Mostly a relief. Finding the tracks was definitely one fierce omen, not to beware, but to “be aware.”

I wasn’t born a wondrous, clairvoyant warrior princess, but I do have Warrior Spirit, a wildlife conservationist’s heart, and an adventure-loving attitude, including a career that enables me to see wildlife in exotic places like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize. One jungle hike didn’t make me fearless, but it took me one step closer to fierce.