Somewhere He Opens a Window

"Once you make a decision, the Universe conspires to make it happen."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Change. It's the one thing we can count on: nothing stays the same. Some people embrace change. They are always looking for something new, something better, something more exciting, or just something different. Others don't even like the word Change. Change means leaving behind the things that are familiar and comforting and stepping into the unknown.

The catch with those particular extremes is that the people seeking change may never hang around long enough to settle down and become comfortable with anything. Those who fear change may miss truly grand opportunities or fail to make new friends because they can't bear to see what they love change.

I like to think you'd find me somewhere in the middle. I DO love change. I love coming up with new possibilities and new goals. But I also hate leaving behind the dreams of yesterday.

Last week I had to say good-bye to one of those dreams.

Forever Sky Ranch will no longer function as a boarding facility.

Wow. I finally wrote it out loud.

FSR will still remain an active farm. We have a year full of clinics and schooling shows to look forward to, thanks to Pam Herzberg. That hasn't changed. And the ranch will still remain available for those wanting to trailer in and train in the arena.

But I won't be boarding horses.

Mirka Pitts has decided to lease pasture space from FSR so she can continue training horses at the ranch. She will be renting the barn apartment when Janine leaves.

Janine.

If you have been reading this blog, you know that several times I have mentioned that when I had to say goodbye to my incredible barn manager that I was going to lock myself in my room and cry for a week.

Janine Smothers became the ranch manager in 2009, when Forever Sky first opened. She had been working as a vet tech at the Northwest FL Animal Clinic and with her school schedule getting more and more difficult, she needed to find a job that would allow her time to study (she was working on her Pre-Vet degree in Biology). I needed a responsible barn manager who knew how to work with horses. It was one of those "perfect timing" deals. (Or answer to prayer, however you choose to see it.)

I believe that Janine and I were meant to form a partnership and help each other.

But we both knew that our relationship could not last. Janine, as a dedicated student and motivated woman, was destined to go her own way once she had completed her degree, which she did this past December.

Janine graduated with honors. Since that time, she has been struggling with decisions about her future, with the changes she now faces. She also had to make a hard decision: that heading straight to vet school wasn't the right option for her. She doesn't have the money to pay up-front for that type of higher education, nor does she want to drown herself with over $100,000 worth of debt.

It's too bad, really. She would be an amazing vet. If I had the money, I would give it to her in a flash.

But Veterinarian work is not Janine's only interest. She LOVES research. Lab research. ANIMAL RESEARCH.

Okay, before the hair on your neck start to prickle, Janine is quick to point out the many facets of animal research that have nothing to do with harming animals, such as animal behavior research, research in the care and preservation of wildlife, and agricultural animal research.

"I love to work with real live animals outdoors," says Janine, "I also like the laboratory work. Doing both would be awesome!"

She has the education. She has the determination. She has the passion. Now she just needs to find a job! (A bit easier said than done.)

Whatever company hires Janine is going to be just as amazed with her as all of us have been. I have never in my life met anyone so dedicated to doing a job the right way, so organized, so responsible, so trustworthy, so intelligent. Whoever gets her will be more than lucky. They'll be blessed.

I know I have been.

And I hope, even after all the changes, and regardless of what the future brings, that Forever Sky will continue to be blessed as well.