Now that summertime projects are fading away, it is time to dust our hands off and get on with other projects like eradicating Polio, feeding the hungry, providing clean drinking water for those you don’t have it, providing assistance during times of disaster, continuing local service projects that make our community a great place to live. We have much to do, and little time to do it.
September is New Generations month. In Rotary, New Generations refers to all of our programs designed to introduce youth to the world of Rotary. This month instead of talking about all the amazing youth programs our Club supports. I would like to share a wonderful story of youth inspiring me and other Rotarians.
At our club’s summer picnic a few years ago, I was taught a wonderful lesson. “Egg on Your Face” is awesome!
My experience watching 6-year-old Isabella Grayce (Izzy) made me think… Izzy in the final round of the egg toss game, lost sight of the egg her father had tossed. Suddenly, crack, swoosh went the egg right on her forehead. Egg was everywhere. You could have heard a pin drop in Tautphaus Park, until Izzy busted into the most hilarious outburst of laughter. Izzy exclaimed “this is awesome!”
Izzy lived in the moment and spontaneously took in every moment for all it was worth. When Izzy was dealt an unexpected hand, she chuckles and work around the issue. There are some things in life we just can’t anticipate. Like a Rotary Club venue closing midyear without notice. Even with a great deal of planning, it’s very possible that life will throw us a curve ball. Like Izzy we need to greet life’s curve balls with a sense of good humor and proactive fascination. Occasionally you have to steer off course when you see gold shimmering in your periphery, just like Izzy taught me.
It is good to recognize how different we are, our talents, our dreams, our backgrounds, and our occupations. No one is exactly like anyone else. Even our thumbprint and our voice track tell us how unique we are. Yet, we can take these differences and mobilize them for the good of Rotary and our community. In our differences we can think the same thoughts and move together toward a common goal of “Service Above Self”.
Lets’ all “Serve to Change Lives”
Governor Russell
