Volunteer Connections by Girl Scouts of Nassau County

I still keep Sarah Van Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance beside my bed. It’s a wonderful reminder and tool for counting my many blessings. There is something meaningful and real when we take time to write down things in our lives that matter, and it is a practice that I highly recommend. November seems to be a time when we all try to focus on being thankful. The Thanksgiving holiday helps us to remember how much we have, and invites us to gi ve back to those who are in need. The Girl Scout Promise teaches us to serve God and country and help people at all times. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the whole year. I like that it brings together family and friends, with no need to buy presents. I can go to worship if I chose, but no strict requirement. I fly my flag, but don’t need to make a patriotic speech. There are lots of foods that I like. And I get to do two of my favorite things – set the big table and put out the holiday towels! In my own life there are so many b...

“That is SO GAY.” “That outfit is SO GAY.” “YOU are SO GAY.” These are the jeers of the schoolyard hurled between kids too young to know or understand what it is to be gay. They are the insults flung out there, to their peers, to each other. It starts early. It starts young. And even if you don’t know what it means, you know it is meant to hurt. So at very young ages kids are picking up those verbal arrows and tucking them neatly away in their arsenal for use upon others, when needed. If you are the adult hearing those words, what are you doing or saying? Are you choosing to ignore the insults? In your mind, is this just another case of kids being kids? Or, do you stand there and meekly say to the perpetrator “Stop that. That’s not nice.” Well, what’s not nice? Is it the verbal attack or being gay? In view of the recent suicides of male teens, identified or perceived as gay, across our country over the past few weeks, adults are not doing enough to address the playground taunts of boys...