Today I read an article from Hbr,the article to Find Happiness forget About passionhttp://blogs.hbr.org/2012/01/to-find-happiness-forget-bout/
The article gave insight on ways young leaders can find their true passion, According to the article there are lots of big problems to go by; the article listed some of the challenges facing the world today, but ended up saying, If you’re a young leader and you haven’t articulated this yet, here are some things you can do.
In the hbr article, one of the ways is to Look into problems that affect you in a very personal way.
There is joy attach to the traditional Christmas celebration.Some families have kept same tradition for years. whether it is a family baking cookies or special cooking, family tradition is something people can relate to. But for some, they may have experienced it differently. I was looking at the article and could relate to one personal problem that affected me personally and can lead to my championing such a cause.
I love it when I read about family traditions. However, Christmas was never a happy time for us growing up, for some reason we were totally displaced growing up. I wrote about home recently. I wish people would read to understand what displacement does to children. Displacement, whether from moving, war, unexpected turn of events, can be harmful to a growing child.
One of my friends’ and a fellow blogger wrote about Christmas recently, Diane wrote Let me begin by saying I do love the Christmas season with all of it`s meanings . http://hometogo232.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/christmas-some-memories/#respo
Unlike Diane who had enjoyed a particular family tradition on every Christmas: for me, Christmas growing up was a nightmare. As I get older too I find it difficult to relate to it .When I think about home, I became so afraid especially during this time of the year. During this time in Africa, there is no water. Apart from that, it is also cold, and it never felt good especially if you have no mother. I always felt the need to run away from it all especially when you live in a step family home that do not know how to work together.
Recently I spent hours speaking to my sister who will never visit home especially now that our father had passed away. I felt really sad for her and her children. I wish she is here where anyone can blend in. I am interested in such a cause because I know firsthand what a disorganized home can do to a child.
Another day another displaced person. Two weeks ago, I met a girl down here in my state; she had left her home state of Ohio . She was running away from what she had known all her life, moving from home to home. Two weeks before Christmas, she and her daughter were displaced again bringing back such a horrible memory. I spent weeks driving them everywhere, making sure that they never felt miserable in a strange land. The girl remembered her initial problems and we both could relate to that. But unlike me, she channeled all her anger to people especially her family members. But I was so lucky because I had wonderful uncles who were really cordial and played fatherly roles to us. The reality is that when tragedy happens,you may find wonderful family members who will love you as their own children; they will give you the same training they would give to their own children.
Not having a stable home does affect children. I believe all problems come from homes. I also realized that due to cultural differences, this project will not mean so much because people are different, and cultural guidelines are different. From what Jonah said, her family members fought over benefits instead of doing what was right for him and his brothers. In Africa, divorce and death do not make a difference on how children were trained. But what happens when money is involved? Unfortunately money and greed changes everything and children are left heart-broken.
Child displacement is a huge thing; it is the epitome of all children’s problem. It is more obvious during important holidays such as Christmas.
I would not want to have a project that will serve only Africans, or African-Americans or Caucasian or Latino groups, but I would rather choose a random topic that wills impacts all children globally.
I know that there are millions of children displaced all over the world, According to United Nations, Around the globe, an estimated 11.2 million to 13.7 million children have been internally displaced as a result of armed conflict. Forced displacement uproots children and youths at a time when their lives most need stability.
For me Christmas never gave me joy, while I was still living in Africa as I always felt like a castaway thinking the problems were never going to end. Now my other sisters could not go home because step brothers and sisters do not work well in Africa as it works in other cultures.
I cannot say that I have a particular family tradition that I still remember. I know why we celebrate Christmas. Christmas should not bring sadness to any child. Cry if it`s worth crying for. I learned the true meaning of Christmas by seeing how generosity became a passion. I learned by visiting charities and having secret Santas for my own children. I have learned about the full meaning of Christmas.
1 Christmas is not about sweating about all the little things . It is about the little children as I have watched them in their little events.
2 It was not even about the gift, but how everyone will go out of their ways to wrap a gift to a child that they do not have to. By doing that, they made children, their families feel very good. I also noticed that people gave with all their hearts, and did not show everybody that they are helping the next person unlike where I came from where people will announce their gift before one even get it. In Africa, some rich people will take advantage of these young little girls in exchange of a gift which was even not the true meaning of Christmas.
3 I learn that Christmas is living like Christ, making a home safe for all children unlike how I felt growing up. When I began to write, I knew I would be into charity works. I would love to go into charity works. Nobody had benefited in this country, more than myself. I have gotten free education, free gift, other things probably I should not have.
My charity will focus on children especially the young adult. I will rather see a child develop his or her own identity, create a learning environment that will guide him or her properly, but I will also like to look into those kids that are having a hard time in their homes; displacement.
But my strength is using what I know that works to help a child figure out ways to help him or herself,than getting stuck with a system that does not really position children to be self-independent.
I think giving out yearly toys to children, whether those kids are rich or poor will be an ideal project knowing how those gifts changed the dynamics of our home. Those Christmas gifts have become part of my own family tradition, and brought happiness to our children. Not that they depend on it, but it has become part of a family tradition that will change as they grow older. This state has opened my eyes to the ways I saw charity. There are good and wonderful people who help children, families and military families in other lands.
In the end, home plate for the holidays. There will be no Christmas without charity. However, this is a cause that has bothered me and other children but I will focus on long-term goal while charity and giving gift will be an ideal project. Home should accommodate and not displace. I have always make it about others but I will focus on giving gifts to children more. I have always known as a child that Christmas is not all about all the things that I knew then as a child. I think everyone has an obligation to make the next person`s life worth living. As an emotional writer, I write about what I am passionate about. I also write about what scares me for other people. I do not write about what makes me strong unfortunately.
What kind of family tradition do you have? what do you think that children need most during this season?
NOAEFAME 
While I do indeed remember many joyful times at Christmas growing up, my mother who had 10 children and at the time married to a man who had an addiction..had to sometimes count on the goodness of others such as the Salvation Army or others to help with Christmas. Often my siblings who grew up in that atmosphere perhaps only got 1 gift and it may have been a refurbished toy or simply some comic books and maybe in their stocking an orange and a few candies. They didn’t go hungry as there was always someone to help, but there were difficult years. But they did know they were loved deeply and that perhaps was their greatest gift.
When I got married it was to a man who loved and supported his family and so we did have happy Christmases and we always did and do remember those that need help as did my mother…..
I wish that everyone had the freedom and resources at Christmas and the rest of the year also,, that we have in abundance…. Diane
. Hi Diane, sorry we have been away all day. I totally agree with you. I think. Not up until I have my own children that I began to see the beauty to what I never knew existed, As someone who is always close to children, hearing their own personal stories I was able to realize that when I was young, i spent my time thinking about what to wear. Now we have had the same clothes for some years now and all they cared about is just little thing.
It is sad because home is the only comfort children needs. While displaced children may be thinking otherwise, most children from a good home while always see the beauty in what Christmas is all about. As for charities, I have seen the most beautiful gift given out every year, It is not even about the gift, but just the human nature, human kindness that I wish people from other culture can learn