Category: Coping with Aspergers

What Cardinal Cushing School Meant to Me

Posted on by Gregory Wood
I came to Cardinal Cushing School through a family member that was a priest. At the age of 7 my father drove me up from New Jersey in his green and white 1957 Chevy.
I remember the green trees and the rainy day as we drove on to the school grounds. I came to the school because my parents were concerned about my learning disability, mental retardation, and behavior problems. The school was home for to me for 9 years since my family was spread out in different parts of the world.
Sr. Shawn and Cardinal Cushing made all of us feel special despite our limitations. I received structure and values from the school that I still operate with today. I was baptized and confirmed by Cardinal Cushing. I was an alter boy every day after being confirmed. I enjoyed singing in the choir and played a clarinet in the school band. When Cardinal Cushing came to visit the school we had a special high mass for him, which I loved. I worked around the school on the weekends. I enjoyed working with Sr. Magdalena in the kitchen. I loved to play baseball and YAZ was my baseball idol. Sr. Jovita was the number one Red Sox fan at the school.  I took part in one of the first Special Olympic events held behind the baseball field.  Sr. Rita organized a class trip to Washington, DC and the highlight was meeting Sen. Ted Kennedy and Congressman Tip O Neil.  
When Cardinal Cushing died it was a sad day. The day of his burial at the Portiuncula chapel as we sang at the chapel doors you could see the large crowd in the parking lot.  
 When I came to Cardinal Cushing my goal was to graduate from high school.  After graduating from St. Coletta I attended Gables Academy in Miami, Florida.  After a year my father was transferred to Houston, Texas and I completed high school with a lot of help and determination. From there we moved to Connecticut. I attended Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut. After successful completion I was able to transfer to Texas Christian University and obtain a degree in Business Administration. Since college I have had to face many challenges in the employment world due to my background and limitations. This lack of knowledge has put me through more jobs than the average person. The safe start and the values system that St. Coletta provided me kept me from going down a lot of wrong paths. 

 

My Thoughts on the Covid Pandemic

Posted on by Gregory Wood

What I am experiencing at this point in time with the Covid virus it something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. When I was in high school, experiencing the Vietnam war on TV every day was very anxiety provoking for me. I knew if I went to Vietnam I would come home in a body bag. Two years ago on a Semester at Sea program one of the ports was Vietnam.  I was able to see first-hand why I was grateful I did not have to go fight a war in that environment. Covid for me is more anxiety provoking than that time in high school due to its effect on the whole world.

I see similarities between this period of time and 9/11. During my work career I experienced many job losses due to a number of reasons. I saw how 9/11 destroyed the hotel industry I had been working in for many years.  During 9/11 we had to take extra days off without pay so people would not get laid off. We were asked by management to donate vacation time or sick time so the associates at the demolished property could get paid. Jobs were lost over time and the company became leaner after 9/11. Today, the whole industry has almost shut down and wonder if large companies like Marriott are at least providing health coverage for laid off staff.  Just like 9/11 this will streamline the industry even further. After 9/11 we had to do more with less.

I often wonder what my father would think if he were alive to experience this pandemic. The 2008 financial crisis put him in the hospital. He saw 40% of his hard work gone. What would he think of the behavior of our current leadership in the country? What would he think about the impact on the economy and the people? How would his experience with the polio vaccine, the great depression and WW2 impact his thoughts today if he was alive? He always believed in what was best for the country.