Jeff Darren Muse pauses to take a selfie with his book, “Dear Park Ranger,” while hiking alongside Fall Creek in nearby Hamilton County on July 1.
Submitted photo
HANCOCK COUNTY – An environmental educator who graduated from Mt. Vernon High School has been racking up accolades for a book he wrote called “Dear Park Ranger: Essays on Manhood, Restlessness, and the Geography of Hope.”
Jeff Darren Muse, who graduated from Mt.Vernon in 1987 and DePauw University in 1991, compiled the collection of essays as an outlet for his lifelong fascination with nature and pondering all aspects of life.
“I’m always trying to figure things out…figure myself out,” said Muse, who said writing the book was his way of “resetting my compass in my 50s.”
In the book’s introduction, Muse refers to himself as a “fatherless, childless Hoosier who wouldn’t and couldn’t stay put.”
He describes the book as “part Generation X travelogue, part love letter, part reflection on White male identity,” which searches for purpose, companionship and hope.
Within its pages, Muse shares his journey from the farms and football fields of central Indiana to snowy West Coast wildlands, from desert canyons to meandering rivers.
The final essay in the collection is an open love letter to his wife, a longtime park ranger he affectionately calls Ranger Paula. The couple met when they were both working for the National Parks Service, and married in 2002.
Last year – after Muse wrote his book – they sold their home in Santa Fe and moved to southeastern Hamilton County to be near his brother and mother, who lives in Geist.
Muse jokingly refers to the move back home as “re-Hoosiering.”
While he enjoyed growing up in northern Hancock County, Muse said he thrived by exploring and putting down roots in various places all over the United States, working in a variety of outdoorsy roles such as environmental educator, historical interpreter and park ranger.
Now that he’s back home in Indiana, he’s focused on his family, his health, and promoting his book, which encapsulates his journey throughout the years.
Earlier this week — on Tuesday, July 9 — Muse mingled with fans at a Bloomington book signing at Morgenstern Books, Indiana’s largest independent bookstore.
“It was wonderful to connect and share and answer questions with people who wanted to learn more,” said the author, who lives just outside Fortville.
The day before the book signing Muse celebrated his 55th birthday, a milestone which was more poignant than most.
A year prior – the day before he turned 54 – Muse underwent a craniotomy to remove a brain tumor after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
He got the diagnosis shortly after his book was published in 2023.
Life has been a wild ride since then, said Muse, who goes in for his next MRI to check his progress later this month.
Meanwhile, he continues to count his blessings each day by communing with nature near his home.
“I’m not a church going fella, but if you were with me in the woods or along the creek you would see that’s where my spot is. That’s where I feel closest to the things that are far, far bigger than me. That’s what keeps me going,” he said.
“Maybe some people get that through church, others through community connection, but for me I’ve always felt most connected, most relaxed, most assured with the steps ahead whenever I’m outdoors.”
His favorite local hiking spots is the Fall Creek Woods nature preserve in Fishers, an 80-acre property featuring more than three miles of trails.
“Despite there being so much development around there, that’s a spot where you can see deer, raccoons, coyote, bobcats and bald eagles,” he said.
Muse knows better than most that life can be fleeting, and there’s no way of knowing what tomorrow may bring.
“I like to convey to people that every day is a journey,” said Muse, who encourages others to find as much peace and pleasure in each day as they can.
And of course, he encourages them to get outdoors and commune with nature as much as possible.
To learn more about Muse’s book or to purchase a copy, visit JeffDarrenMuse.com. The author can also be found on Facebook.
