Hey there,
My name is Lolita M. (Jefferson) Goldring, MA, EdM. It’s nice to meet you. Here’s a little story about me.
It’s a cold winter early morning on the East Coast, Bellport, Long Island. I’m on my way to elementary school, walking, and will soon meet up with my friend Sari (I changed her name) at the intersection of two roads. I was a shy, scrawny, super introverted kid, and so was Sari. The walk to the school was quiet, until some of the kids also walking to school met us at the next intersection. They were bullies. They taunted me, pushed me, poked me, walked backwards to face me, while I walked forward, every where I moved to avoid, they stepped with me. I could see the school, though even 200 feet was an eternity. This lasted for days and weeks until eventually they knocked my books out of my hands, onto the ground. They’d kick them further each time I went to grab them. I’d just picked them up and kept walking. Sari was next to me, and pretty scared too. I remember one day the street was wet and muddy and all my papers and books got ruined. As I continued onward, he decided to knock Sari’s books to the ground. That was it. I thought fast. What could I do? Well, I watched “Kung Fu Fighter” on television, it was one of my favorite shows. So I decided to bust a move. I did a pose and made a high pitched, “Kung Fu”, – Bruce Lee (my all time favorite) type of sound and stance, and an “On Guard” move. It was real enough. The bully of the group said, “…ah, man, we were just playing.” He picked up Sari’s book and gave them back to her. He said “…we can walk together, let’s just walk together.” We kept going, Sari looked like she was about to cry, and we kept on going forward. They “chaperoned” us for a few days, until one day, we were on our way to school. Just Sari and I, and on the way, kids on the school buses were practically hanging out the window looking at us, with hushed whispers and tones. I heard someone or someone(s) saying there’s going to be a fight. My stomach knotted. I couldn’t imagine it was me, and, I was scared, it as me.
We get to school and the kids are already in a circle. I walk in, and try to cross to the otherside, and was greeted with the biggest bully in school. She said, “So you think you can fight huh?” Oh my L*** I’m thinking. This can’t be. She says it again, “You think you can fight, you know Kung Fu huh?” She lunged at me. My Mom taught us, if you ever got into a fight, you better win, or you’ll get another one when you get home. I fought with everything I had. A teacher came in and pulled me off the bully and started reprimanding me. I was bewildered. The kids started shouting, she didn’t start it, the other one did.
My Mom knew I’d have a hard time of it, of everything. My mother gave birth to me, in the car, alone, while my Dad was outside of the car. He was supposed to go get my Grandma, though never got inside the house, he was too distraught. My Mom said, “men those days didn’t see all of that so it was hard on him.” I was put in a vomit pan and escorted to the hospital by the Fire Department/Police. Although my Mom had a fit when they wouldn’t let her see me or hold me (I was put in an incubator and separated because of “germs”). My Mom is sure this is why “I came out the way I did.” I was not developed, my face was inside out, my lungs had not developed and I was called “Fugly” though she is sure, (and now I believe her) that that separation altered things. I have lived, learned and carried on.
There’s more to that story though for now Welcome to Social Service Academy. I developed this platform because I’ve noticed that there is one thing that stands between people that feel good about what they are doing and the impact they’re making, and, people who wrestle with how well they’re doing most of the time, (even when they’re doing a great job and just need to know it)! This, leads to low self-esteem, stress, frustration, anxiety, misunderstandings and burnout! It takes away from what is possible–. This unruly, and not so unruly thing that gets in the way, or changes the situation entirely is: Information – or the lack of information. There are other areas that surround this, and it boils down to also; how that information is used.
This platform offers information that –when added with who you really are— can set you free to live the life you imagined or want to live, —and— to make a greater impact in the lives of others without feeling judged, misunderstood, or frozen in place, especially out of fear of making a mistake! Its’ content includes information that I have found to be the most helpful over years of service, especially as related to mental health and housing.
There are nuances that change from one setting to the next. Join me on this journey and I promise, you’ll begin to feel differently, immediately, and dare I say, for the rest of your life.
Please scroll through the site where you’ll find more about me and “The Social Service Care Product.”
Thank you.
Peace, Love & Well Wishes
Lolita M. (Jefferson) Goldring, MA, EdM
In case you missed the welcome, glad You Are Here -and a little about me video earlier, here it is again…
