Kwanzaa Day 5 NIA Purpose

Habari Gani           Response NIA


Kwanzaa Day 5 NIA (nee-AH)    Purpose (sense of)


Have you found your PURPOSE in life? One of the big marketing emphasis of life coach's is finding your passion/ PURPOSE in life and promoting that. Yet few of us know our purpose. For many its trial and error to find the purpose that  gives us joy and ignites our passion.


More importantly how is your purpose for being here serving the community. We are not islands,but individuals within a larger community. NIA is a time to focus on how you can serve the greater good (Purpose). Many hide behind the excuse that ,"I'm just one person". That's not acceptable, even the youngest child can contribute even if its just to pick up a piece of litter off the sidewalk. Notice when a child is given a simple task, they stand up a little straighter. Why? because they feel good about being able to contribute. If a child can recognize the value of helping than we should also. Each contribution no matter how small adds up when its thrown into the pot. You give $5.00 and 5 hours to an organization that is doing good things in the community that you like. If fifty other people do the same thing that nonprofit remains viable and can continue its good works. You start or sign a petition to right something that has occurred.  You are serving the greater community. So don't ever think that you or your voice doesn't matter. You are as important as anyone else.


I am very thankful for my Daddy who taught me that money, fame , position did not make anyone better than me. The only one who was better than me was the one who did more good deeds than me. (My Daddy was a staunch Christian who walked his talk.)


So on this the fifth day of Kwanzaa take time to reflect on what your NIA is.  How will YOU will serve the greater good?

Michelle

kwanzaa Day 3 Ujima Collective Work and Responsiblity

Habari Gani      Response is Ujima


Today is the third day of Kwanzaa "Ujima" which stands for collective work and responsibility. We see this happening across the country in the Local First movements, domestic violence, community gardens and so many other areas. People are trying to regain that "community feeling". We have become such a mobile society in the past 20 or thirty years that community has been lost. 


I personally love it when I see people come together to create a community garden or to refurbish a park or play field. To see folks come together for something other than a funeral. Yes it is important that we honor tragic victims and see to it that they given honorable burials. We also need to come together to create the kind of community that we are proud to live in. We can no longer hide behind closed doors and hope someone else takes care of the problems. We have to stand up and be a part of the solution. Saying ,"I'm only one person and can't make a difference " was never valid. Each of us no matter how small can make a difference. Combined we are an engine that can. (Ask Former Arizona Legislator Russell Pearce). http://bit.ly/ryA15l


What are you doing to be responsible and work collectively in your community? Please share what you're doing, another community may be able to use your project or action.


As always you can shop my store on the right to keep this site going.

Michelle

Kwanzaa Day 2 KUJICHAGULIA

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up. The second day of Kwanzaa asks us to look inward to define yourself and not give in to how others might try to define you. The seven principle of Kwanzaa were initially created during the sixties when Black Americans were still trying to throw off the shackles of Jim Crowism. This was the era that saw the rise of the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, the Urban League and the demand by Black Americans for equal rights etc. Notice I said the rise, even with a Black President in office we are still seeking equal rights.


Black Americans still did not have the right to vote. The right to stay where they wanted or to even use a public rest room. So one has to look at the time frame for the origination of Kwanzaa, a non religious holiday. Kwanzaa is to celebrate the cultural of Black Americans going back to our origins in American. Yes, we as Black Americans have our own distinct culture separate from Africa. That's why there was the explosion of the Urban Studies curriculum during the seventies and eighties. Urban Studies is the study of US. Just ask Shirley Sherrod who was summarily fired from her Dept USDA job because a racist blogger falsely accused her of racism. http://ow.ly/8b0O8


This principle alone may account for why Kwanzaa is now celebrated worldwide. This is the official Kwanzaa website so you can make you own family tradition to celebrate http://ow.ly/8b10e


I hope these short posts will at least peak your curiosity about Kwanzaa so that your family and community can share this cultural holiday.


As we lumber into the new year you have a clean slate  to write on. You have the power to determine what will be written. Either you take charge and write on the slate or someone else will. Its your call.


As always you can click above to make a purchase to keep this site going.

Michelle