"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." —Mahatma Gandhi
We are officially 15 days from Christmas morning. The clock is ticking. No pressure, of course, as we check items off our list and add new things in their place. Thank goodness for our gadgets with editing functionality to help us manage these details. How did we ever do it before "there's an app for that?"
I usually find myself getting into the spirit just days before Christmas, and that leads to lots of last minute shopping and carrying on. But this year I vowed it would be different. I started early. The inspiration came when I caught a 60 Minutes program about an organization called Free the Children. www.freethechildren.com
Free the Children is an international youth movement founded in 1995 by children's rights advocate, Craig Kielburger, dedicated to eliminating the exploitation of children around the world by engaging youth in solving environmental and economic problems plaguing children in under developed countries for decades. The organization works both domestically and internationally to empower and enable youth to become agents of change.
Their Me to We movement (www.metowe.com) empowers kids to become social activists, engaging them in projects to help solve the world's problems. It has put millions of children in action "becoming the change they wish to see in the world." These junior world changers are learning about the critical needs of their virtual community while developing leadership and collaborative expertise to help solve persisting and deadly problems impacting other children. They are experiencing how powerful they can be when they team up and pull together for the common good.
Some of their contributions may seem small at first blush, but not to recipients. Penny drives literally accumulate into millions of dollars, helping to build schools and train teachers. Farm tools, baby chicks, goats, healthy lunch programs, gardens, and clean water sources are funded by We projects.
The more I learned, the more I wanted to be a kid again, so that I could get involved. Well, that's probably not going to happen. But, what I did discover is how easy it is to join the Me to We Movement, and check a few items off my Christmas list all at the same time. I just clicked on www.freethechildren.com/donate/holiday-wishing-well-for-the-world/ or www.freethechildren.com/donate/gift-catalogue/
What a great way to honor friends and family members, and participate in the Me to We Movement to Free the Children. Thinking closer to home, there are many organizations doing such amazing work right in our own communities. Perhaps a gift to one or more of those organizations in honor of a family member or friend will help old Santa wrap up his work early this year. I'm guessing Santa could use the break.
"My life is my message." —Mahatma Gandhi
Your Coaching Challenge, Should You Choose to Accept It:
What is the number one change you would like to see in the world? What are some creative ways you can become your change?
