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In the Waiting

POHC Groshell • Dec 27, 2018

“Every day you see one more card.  You take it on faith, you take it to the heart.  The waiting is the hardest part.”- Tom Petty

POHH has been sitting, not void of life, but empty of the young women who will make it a true home.  Most of you excitedly assume it is open thanks to the beautiful photos that have been posted, yet it waits.  We wait.  Most importantly, 6 beautiful young women with autism wait.

Oh, what do we do in the waiting?  At first thought, waiting appears passive but it is one of the most active verbs I know.  Ask a top notch waiter.  Think of the last really good waiter you had at a nice restaurant.  The last thing on their mind would be to sit down!  At it’s essence, noble waiting pushes back fear.  It is an armed fortress that says, “I await a better future.”  The friend awaiting her last chemo, the mother waiting for her son to be released from jail, the single person waiting for his or her partner, those awaiting a visa to return to the land they love, the patient waiting to be released from an extended hospital stay, parents waiting to see their child in heaven, the young woman with autism waiting for a home that promises a place of true belonging.  Waiting is downright hard but it’s fruit can be sweet if fear’s flirtations are resisted:  faith, compassion, and endurance all can be tasted along the path leading to a better future.

For me, it helps to reflect on being part of a sea of “waiters”, especially those who wait well.  Those who place their trust in God and lay their dreams at His feet.  Yes, He is merciful.  Like any trial, waiting exposes us.  Fear will climb the fortress of waiting’s walls and often makes it’s way to the top.  It is only by continually trusting in God, knowing He is active in the waiting, that the enemy chaos falls back.  Milly, my mother’s spiritual mentor and the elderly neighbor near the family farm where I and my 5 siblings grew up, was a woman of simple and great faith.    She would often say, “When you think God’s not workin He’s a workin!”.  I often picture her saying that and I smile.  It hits a reset button within me.  It causes fear to slide down the walls into the dark mote from where it came.

This holiday season, see yourself in a sea of persons who wait well.  The fruit of waiting isn’t just in the future, it is now.  After all, true contentment knows no future.

By Amy Groshell 11 Apr, 2023
A pril is designated as autism awareness month. In today’s world of causes, sometimes I find it hard to keep up with all the causes to be aware of. It used to be a month for our community to post statistics, then was a trend to “light it up blue”, and now we seem to have settled on acceptance. This progression inspired a thought process within me about how awareness evolves into acceptance. Lara’s story demonstrates the transformation from awareness to acceptance well. When Gentry was struggling in her early teens, I had the good fortune to be introduced to Lara’s mom, Carol. Carol was instrumental in helping me navigate a mental health system that was and is unprepared for the influx of young persons with autism like Lara and Gentry. (Many people do not realize that individuals with ASD are seven times more likely to have a secondary diagnosis, many with crippling anxiety, mood swings, depression, and OCD.) I listened to Carol speak of Lara’s story and I found hope. With the right supports, Lara had been able to overcome crippling depression and later found her purpose through baking. Even so, Lara had to face the reality that her life would look different than her brother’s. Until she accepted this fact, Lara was trapped in “awareness” of the limitations of her diagnosis. Finding a place to belong was essential in Lara’s metamorphosis. Peace of Heart Community helps individuals like Lara evolve from awareness to acceptance. Over a year ago Lara started participating in POH Enrichment summertime activities. Because we focus on non-verbal individuals, I was surprised. I was even more ecstatic to learn of Lara’s response to our gatherings. At POH Enrichment Lara found her place as a role-model and leader. As is true in baking, there are always essential ingredients. In life, acceptance is vital to each person’s story. Lara saw how Farmer Josh has inspired people from our community and those around the world who follow us on @POHenrichment. Lara’s story inspired me as I was reminded to not limit the breadth of POHC’s reach. Time and time again I walk onto the property of POH Farm and see beauty all around me. It’s not just the peaceful backdrop and the mossy oaks looming over the fire pit, it is all the stories that surround me. The beautiful individuals we support are finding acceptance and peace within themselves. This is the ultimate autism awareness; that young adults with autism can and do have a place in our community. They deserve a chance to find acceptance and purpose. Awareness that life does not have to be as you assume for it to be beautifu l.
By Amy Groshell 15 Feb, 2023
Keeping Our Crown’s On  At POHC we aim for the heart of the individuals we serve. Designed by our co-founder, Howard Groshell; our logo clearly represents our community (blue) and sustainability (green) pillars upholding the “heart” of the individuals with autism. We put a premium on elevating individuals with autism by helping them reach their dreams. Far from the modular buildings at the very outskirts of any public school’s self-constrained classrooms or the churches who aren’t sure how to include those with added challenges, we desire to give those with autism a real chance at living life alongside their neighbors. Shifting paradigms takes time and patience, especially when opposing the long held narratives of the societal, medical and educational establishments. Even so, change is a worthy and likely goal when we turn life’s steering wheel by even one degree. While it is one thing to value an individual, it is quite another to empower them. Seeing a person’s worth is imperative. In the disability community, the most clear example of this is the recently held special needs prom: Night to Shine. One glorious evening, individuals with disabilities are crowned the Kings and Queens they are. While this lasts a night, our mission is to keep those crowns on year-round. Why is this so challenging? Often in our competitive society we fail to see groups of “non-productive” persons as worthy. Perhaps the needy consciously or subconsciously are placed in a separate category than us producers. We like to keep them in this category so, when we help them, we feel good about ourselves. This is a one-way directional relationship and, while it has value, it would be wrong to make this the ultimate goal. Instead we propose a 2-way mutual exchange relationship fueled by inclusion which allows us to walk side by side and support these valuable individuals through life’s ups and downs. At Peace of Heart Community, we have the chance to change lives 24 hours a day by embracing and facilitating those with autism so they can lead lives with meaning. Yes, we serve; however, we strive to empower. In essence, we give those we embrace permission to be part of our world. This entitles them to live the life they desire. When we empower others we give them the ability to shine brightly in the communities they live in. We allow their inner beauty to be seen by all. Whether it is Farmer Josh giving a farm tour, buying organic produce grown by our Enrichment Program participants, learning about trees from Carter, sampling Lara’ baked goods, or purchasing Gentry’s art; with your support we can ensure a life of meaning for all. This Valentine’s Day and everyday we thank you for all you do to help us uphold the HEART of autism by keeping those crowns on!
By Amy Groshell 09 Jan, 2023
PEACE for the New Year and Always!
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