“Whether one is 20, 40, 60, or 80; whether one has succeeded, failed or just muddled along — life begins each morning! The greatest fact in life is that it is never too late to start again. However discouraging your days may have been, keep this thought burning brightly in your mind: Life begins each morning!” — L.M. Hodges
Metro Graphics Photo Illustration
Never too late Overcome challenges and change to make the most of life
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by
Christina Kunkle, CTA Certified Life and Wellness Coach, R.N.
n this ever-changing world, there are only a few things I feel certain of. First, the only constant is change, so learning to quickly adapt is essential. Second, it’s not what happens to us but what we do with it that matters most. Third, whether we’re making the most of our time or not, the clocks will continue ticking away the seconds, minutes and hours of our lives without missing a beat.
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We all have dreams about the way our life will be, what we hope to accomplish and what our ideal life looks like. But very often, we find ourselves in circumstances that shatter our perfect plans, leaving us upset and worried. Perhaps you develop a chronic health condition that prevents you from doing the work you love, or suffer the loss of a spouse, family member or friend. Maybe the company
you’ve given your heart and soul to for over 30 years takes a sudden downturn, and your retirement savings vanish. The challenges we face may be different, but we share the need to accept and overcome them in order to move forward. Often we end up convinced it’s too late for us to recover from personal or professional setbacks. We may give up or sink into despair, fearful that we have nothing
meaningful left to contribute. Believing it’s too late depletes our precious energy, leaving us unable to take action. We give our power away without realizing it by focusing on past regrets or future concerns, spurring self-doubt, fear and confusion. Instead of saying “it’s too late for me,” I’d like to suggest a new perspective that offers renewed hope. No matter what See LATE, Page 13
Franklin invented bifocals at 78 Late
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you’re facing, you can still fulfill your purpose and create a legacy to be proud of — one full of love, joy and service. Right now, you may be asking, “How does she know for sure it’s not too late for me?” Because I believe author Richard Bach was right when he said, “Here’s a test to see if your mission here is complete: If you’re alive, it isn’t.” So if you’re reading this, it means you have work to do, and the clock is still ticking. Just look back at what these amazing seniors accomplished: Did you know that at the age of 65, Harlan Sanders used his first $150 social security check to start the now-famous Kentucky Fried Chicken? Or that Ben Franklin invented the bifocals at 78? Then there’s Michelangelo, who didn’t begin his work on St. Peter’s Basilica until he was 72. Oh, and we can’t forget Grandma Moses, who sold her first painting after her 90th birthday. And we can all take a lesson from Flossie, my dear friend, who at 98 years young, said, “I used to believe it was never too late; now I realize that sometimes it is. For example, I loved to hike and swim for the exercise and health benefits, but the facts are that it is too late for my legs to handle that anymore. However, I can still be an outdoors person by sitting on my daughter’s porch, watching the birds and enjoying her beautiful garden. “I also loved to write, and one thing I regret was not attending journalism school, so I could have written a book about the adventures of my life. Now I’ll just have to ask my family to put all my short stories together
in a book, so my memories can live on that way.” Awesome. She’s adapting by doing what she can with where she is, showing by example how to make the most of your time. ■ To adapt quickly, take a deep breath, remembering where your power lies. It’s not in the past or the future, it’s in the present. You can change your life by giving your attention to handling what’s in front of you right now. ■ Make the most of what happens by being grateful for what you have, not ungrateful for what you don’t. Place your focus on what you can still do, not what you can no longer do. ■ Make the most of your time by sharing your creativity. What brings a smile to your face? Use your gifts, strengths and talents to help others; find a way to show up fully in your life exactly as it is. The Chinese sum it up well: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. But the second best time is today.” Remember, you are here to make the difference only you can make. And since the clock is still ticking, what about starting today? Christina Kunkle, R.N. and CTA Certified Life and Wellness Coach, is founder of “Synergy Life and Wellness Coaching, LLC” and creator of the “Synergy Success Circle.” She helps busy women prevent burn out by promoting bounce-back resilience to stay focused, positive, and excited about the challenges of work and life. For more information, visit www.synergylifeandwellnesscoaching. com or call (540)-7465206.
Photo by Daniel Lin
Mama’s Caboose owner Diane Roll prepares food at her deli in Dayton. Roll, a former Harrisonburg Police Department Crime Prevention Specialist, opened the deli and food truck in 2011.
‘Have a good security nest’ Leap
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Then tragedy struck. Her infant daughter, Sadie Rose Harlow, died June 20, 2007, after 17 hours of life. Harlow started the Sadie Rose Foundation in 2008 to support families who have lost children. She balanced the jobs for two years before leaving her newspaper career in 2010 to work full time with her nonprofit. “I felt this call, I felt this pull … but how in the world do I make this work?” said Harlow. But she had to take the leap. “Everybody has a passion. To sustain and propel it forward, it takes a lot of determination, dedication and prayer.” Harlow was nervous, having serious questions about finances since she would be transitioning from a two-income household to one. Laver recommends coming up with a budget and saving money before making the change. “Prepare ahead of time … have a good security nest,” she said.
As Harlow began to work with her foundation, she began taking courses through the Christian Growth Institute to work in ministry. After school, she became the interim pastor of the Dayton Church of the Brethren, where she served from February 2014 to April 2015. In January, she was named associate pastor of Mountain View Fellowship Church of the Brethren in McGaheysville. Harlow recommends following what the heart wants. “Go for it. If you’re feeling it, go for it,” she said. “My calling is to offer hope to people that are hurting for all reasons.”
Searching for passion
For Roll, her passion is food. The 49-year-old grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. After receiving an undergraduate degree in secondary education and a graduate degree in Earth science from California University of Pennsylvania, she began a 13-year career in retail, See LEAP, Page 23
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