“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy
In a book about 1950s cold war spying between the USA and the Soviet Union, I keep discovering Tolstoy quotes. The front line of the cold war is an ironic place to find motivation for a Rotary newsletter but the above quote made me think of the effect of Rotary on Rotarians.
Our Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee tells us “we must be the agents for the change in the world we want to see.” In effect we are to think about and create change in the world. Our Rotary clubs give us the awareness of the need for change and the means to make that change in the world. Typically awareness comes from our club’s weekly meeting speakers or those who ask for our clubs' assistance. Not only is that awareness of the needs in our communities, but the needs of those around the world. The effect of that awareness is better communities and a better world.
But what is the effect on the Rotarians? The cynical would say that awareness of the world’s need for change would be a negative and demoralizing. But Rotarians know that from awareness comes action in the form of service to others. And from that service to others we find satisfaction. It is not that Rotarians are any “better” than other people; it is that Rotarians, whether cognitively or subconsciously, value that satisfaction of service enough to become aware of the need for change and want to make the needed change. I would say to Tolstoy, “If everyone acted to change the world, we would not need to think about changing ourselves.”
Last week I had the opportunity to help out on a small administrative matter regarding RC Whitesburg’s partnering with the Dollywood Foundation to bring the “Imagination Library Project” to Letcher County (See http://6740newsletter.blogspot.com/2011/12/rc-whitesburg-starts-imagination.html .) While on the phone with our region’s representative for the Dollywood Foundation, I told her about attending “Imagination Library” presentations at Rotary conferences and how much Christie and I learned about the importance of introducing books to young people and the result that new found awareness has had on our 20 month old Charlie. Because of the message which caused change in his parents, Charlie is definitely a beneficiary of the “Imagination Library” even if he never receives a book from that great organization. I invited the Dollywood Rep. to speak at our District Conference in April. Accepting the invitation, the representative told me, “We love speaking to Rotary Clubs and events, and we love working with Rotarians, because of the awareness and action Rotary provides in our mission to increase literacy in America.”
John B. Adams
Rotary Club of Somerset-Pulaski County Kentucky USA
District 6740, Governor 2011-12
Visit District 6740 Newsletter at:
http://www.6740newsletter.blogspot.com/
Facebook Search Term " jbasomerset "
No comments:
Post a Comment