What I'm Reading; Thanksgiving edition

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I enjoy the national holiday from the seat of my pants, alone with work in the horizon of a couple hours, I thought I'd provide some insight into what's been up and down, so to speak.

Here is an interesting story to ponder over as we celebrate that 1st Thanksgiving.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade skipped Broadway, this year for the first time.

On something I've read a lot about, the genetic mutation of what we have come to know that is actually a super-turkey, may soon come to an end. Goodbye big-bland-tasting bird, hello smaller, more-expensive-more-rich-flavored bird.

The Detroit Lions are staying on Thanksgiving. IMO, good.

If you haven't seen or heard the bell ringers for the Salvation Army, they now are taking credit or debit.

I've been working consistently at Damar Services for more than 2 months now, and I've come to the conclusion; there will always be good days and bad days. The best thing I've learned to do is to leave everyday at work, and work day-to-day.

Recently, I've felt personal gains with some of the kids. After reading some of their files I have found less reason to become aggravated with behaviors and more inspiration to try and understand what I can do to help.

I struggle with getting the kids to listen to me for a couple reasons I can guess; one, they have a hard time relating with me and two, they just don't care about what someone, with a position of power, over them, has to say.

Interestingly, when I have found a way to lower myself to them (in hypothetical sense only) I have found they listen, and are much more happy with my presence. Joking and having a good time with them is not hard and I struggle with the staff whom cannot find it within themselves to enjoy their time with the kids.

On the staff, I have met some good, some not so good, and some who just show up for a paycheck. I never want to a paycheck person.

Moving on, it is a sad cycle for some of the kids. Watching some of the kids progress within the captive environment is all for naught oftentimes, as many leave and revert to behaviors that seemed to have been irradiated. Also, some complete their treatment plan and because of a lack of family or guardian support and/or consistency, they fall back into the system and sadly if they have reached adult-age that often means incarceration.

I want to get in the minds of the kids but become so aggravated with my own deficiencies, limiting my ability to understand and make breakthroughs with the kids, who may only need one explanation to turn a major corner. I am thankful for this opportunity, but I feel so much time is wasted and it pains me to no end to know that I leave every day at 11 p.m., with the kids sleeping, and I haven't figured out a way to suppress a behavior that would otherwise help them to be at peace with themselves and/or the environment they see around them.

I watch kids struggle with thoughts, memories and defense mechanisms that have been socially conditioned within them from dealing with the horrific lives most of them have experienced. I want to feel their pain in more real terms, so as to understand and have them understand that I am always there to help.

So, today i want to express my thankfulness in having the opportunity to be around the people I hope to help. I am thankful for the chance to be a positive person in their lives and someone they can rely on and trust, the likeness they may have never known.

Today I work from Noon-11 p.m., again, as I am enjoying Thanksgiving with one client's family, via supervised home-visit. It is not ideal for me, or my family who spend another holiday without my presence, but the focus is on the people of need I now attempt to empower. Having the thankfulness to understand my family eats w/out me because I've been so lucky to have a supporting family, is key. Redirecting that thankfulness and giving of myself to help one of my kids enjoy a Thanksgiving, is what is important today.

And I'm thankful for the opportunity.