GCSS Community Events

by Eric Pudalov, Community Events Coordinator

Well OK, maybe not "Charlie Brown," per se, but with childhood memories of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, that would be my ideal November holiday.

This year's Thanksgiving baskets, developed by the Excitement Committee, are already on their way to consumers in need and their families. Each contains a $10 gift card towards the purchase of a turkey, as well as additional non-perishable food items, as mentioned in the blog titled "Happy Birthday to Chi...and Pre-Thanksgiving Madness!"

In difficult economic times, it is still important to be thankful for those blessings that we have, whether they be food, water, clothing, shelter, loving family, or even less tangible things such as freedom. We would all do well to remember the rights that we sometimes take for granted in the U.S., such as freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. Though some might debate the truth of that statement, we have also seen that in some nations, both men and women are often executed or tortured for opposing religious beliefs or taking actions that are considered unethical.

That said, I will personally be spending Thanksgiving in NY, my home state, with my parents and sister. Living in GA, in various programs like this one, has helped me to better appreciate my family, in that they supported my decision to come here and have partly provided me with the funds to do so.

A young woman in her 20's might say that any time she's spent living at home with her parents has been a challenge...I'm sure many of us would agree with her. Nonetheless, when we're apart from our families (assuming they're not abusive or psychotic), we ideally begin to realize how much they love us, and how thankful we are to have them.

In my case, as well, I will admit that sometimes I've gotten very frustrated over some of my limitations, especially in the areas of short term memory, judgment, and emotional control. On the other hand, having spent time around people with other kinds of disabilities (and even other people with brain injuries), I've realized how much I'm capable of and also how I may have misjudged some people that I first saw as "low-functioning."

So, as always, I write this blog not only for myself, but to inspire others at GCSS, as well as the random stranger who just might happen upon our site.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

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