I want to take a minute to reflect on the mission of The Papa Didos Ideals Foundation

12/13/10

I want to take a minute to reflect on the mission of The Papa Didos Ideals Foundation. Simply put, we were created to promote literacy to under privileged and at risk youth. This specific purpose is printed on section B of my articles of incorporation. The plan was to read to kids and give them free books. I envisioned caring parents joining me to help kids everywhere.

There is awesome potential in the fundamental skill of reading. Literacy is the answer to many problems. We often take for granted the ability to read. It is inconceivable to most of my friends that there are illiterate people in this world. But the reality is quite shocking.

I created this foundation for the purpose of making my positive contribution to society. I identified a task which I felt suited me. It is unnecessary and counterproductive to dwell upon things you can’t control. Therefore jumping right into step two was the logical solution. I formulated a strategy to solve the problem. Because staring at a grand task can overwhelming, the only way to tackle any undertaking is step by step. Separate the overall task into mini segments into achievable realistic goals. And while having a strategy is great, the most important step is to take action. Day by day, little by little results are achieved. Consistent action and faith goes a long way. This lesson was taught to me by “The Little Engine that Could”. Along the way I am refining my actions and adjusting my path as needed. Even though the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, almost everyone takes the scenic route.

Today is a day of evaluation for me. I wanted take a minute to look around and figure out the next step. My thoughts are as follows. It is paramount that children be given an education. We know education reduces crime, it cuts down teenage pregnancy, and it is a component of being healthy. I always say, healthy mind, healthy body. Education plays a part in every facet of modern day society. The funny thing about this situation is that getting kids to read is not that difficult. It only takes fifteen minutes a day. Find interesting stories and you will see their eyes light up with joy. Developing a pattern of good habits comes from consistency and love. I am going across the country and I will be reading to children along my route. I can help light a spark but it’s up to others to kindle the flame. My organization is not a big one. It doesn’t have any money. But, this is where it stands. It has love passion and dedication. It is a piece of work that will require my attention for the rest of my life. I’m happy to think of it in those terms because it gives my life real meaning.

As I finish conducting this little evaluation, I think of my own son. I was lucky to have so much time with him during his formative years. He filled my hours with endless joy. What I tried to give to him was the gift of knowledge. I knew it was something no one could take away from him. We had bookshelves filled with great little stories. We enjoyed the books every night before bedtime. At times I was forced to read the same silly one over and over again. I remember he often fell to sleep with several books scattered on his bed. Oh how he loved the illustrations and stories. Although we no longer get to spend so much time together, I know the importance of all that time we spent reading. He is now an excellent student and he brings home high marks. I am always so very proud of him. I’m feeling lucky that I had two wonderful parents that cared enough to fill my shelves with books and my mind with ideas. They gave me the same wonderful gift I passed on to my son. They gave me the tools to make dreams reality.