The older I get, the more I have begun to realize that the only true constant in life is change.
Change seems to be the only thing I can rely on. Change seems inevitable. We see change every year with the seasons – from spring to summer to fall to winter and back again. Nothing can stop that.
We see change every day between the sun and the moon. Nothing can stop that.
In life, sometimes it feels as though just when you think you’ve got everything pretty much on an even keel, everything will take a turn.
I’ve lost people in my life. People that I would see every day and now no longer talk to. I’ve had to say goodbye and it hurts.
At the shelter, we have lost a number of people in the recent years and in some respects, I’m still reeling.
Most recently, in May, a previous long-time board member and supporter of the shelter, Alan Loessy passed away. He was on the board when I first arrived at the shelter. He was quite adept at public relations, so I had many talks with him over the years.
He was a staple in Chambersburg, both in his political career and his job at Letterkenny Army Depot.
I hope that he has found a place where he may know some peace and spend time with his feline friends.
In addition, our board of directors has had three losses within one year – between 2022 and 2023.
Mary Mason, an incredibly dedicated board member passed away rather suddenly in February 2022. She was an avid animal-lover and particularly enjoyed time with her horses. She was the secretary of our board of directors and was very devoted to CVAS.
Mike Krugh, a board member who chaired our golf tournament, passed away in August of 2022. Mike was a fun guy. He always had a story for me about one of his dogs – and man, did they have personalities. Mike always enjoyed helping animals.
Nancy Gardner, a presence at the shelter for more than two decades, and the president of our board for many years, passed away suddenly in February 2023. We are planning a tribute to her at the shelter so what she did for this organization will never be forgotten. She was absolutely committed to working for the animals at this shelter.
There are days, even as I write these words, that it still doesn’t seem real that the above folks are gone. I will still, to this day, have a question or think of something for which I need clarification and will say to myself, oh, I’ll ask Mary. Or, I’ll check with Mike. Or, wait, let me email Nancy.
Sometimes there are signs that they are still around. Little moments in the day when something will come to mind or I recall something about them and I think, hey, there you are.
Sometimes it can be easy for life to get into a routine. Get up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, repeat. Sometimes you can intersperse different events or birthdays or anniversaries or moments in the schedule, but sometimes life can feel quite habitual.
You can go along believing that things will always be there. Your home will be yours. Your car will be fine and the people that you see every day will always be around.
But the truth of the matter is they may not.
One thing we can always rely on is change. It may not happen today, it may not happen tomorrow, but your life as it is right now likely won’t always be your life as it is right now.
It’s scary, believe me, I know. If I think too long about that, I can easily spiral into some incredibly depressive thoughts.
But I try to shake myself out of it because I also know that the folks who have left us would never want us to live that way. Knowing that change will come should allow us not to be afraid, but to treasure what we currently have.
Gratitude is the way you can alleviate that fear. Be grateful for the people in your life. Tell them how happy you are to know them. Speak the feelings and love that are in your heart.
Hug those around you. Reach out. Tell them what they mean to you. Even if it’s just on a random Tuesday.
To the people I have lost, I hope they know they will never be forgotten. I hope those who are no longer in this world have found peach. I believe they have. I think they try to tell me in those moments when I remember them.
Until we meet again, my friends, have a glass of wine for me, hop on that horse you so loved to ride and play a game of golf on those gorgeous greens in heaven.
Most importantly, be happy and find some peace.
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Jennifer Vanderau is the Publications and Promotions Consultant for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter in Chambersburg, Pa., and can be reached at [email protected]. The shelter accepts both monetary and pet supply donations. For more information, call the shelter at 717-263-5791 or visit the website www.cvas-pets.org. CVAS also operates a thrift store in Chambersburg. Help support the animals at the shelter by donating to or shopping at the store.
