I’M GRATEFUL The other day I thought, “What would I be doing if I weren’t in Rotary?” It was a scary thought! During the pandemic lockdown, I would have been anxious and lonely. On weekends, I would be wishing I was doing something productive and purposeful, instead of biding my time, waiting for the hours to pass. Emails? I have to admit that I love getting emails (like getting letters in the mail), but I would just get them from friends and a ton of trash. When I read the paper, I would probably feel discouraged, helpless and angry that there was so much negative news and nothing I could do to fight poverty, hate, disease, and global warming. And when I retire, what would I have to look forward to? That was the scariest thought of all. In reality, my life is rich in friends and experiences with Rotary. During the pandemic, I was anxious, but I wasn’t lonely. Even though I didn’t physically see my Rotary friends, they were in the background, helping me feel protected. As for weekends, Benson Medina says, “If it’s Saturday, it’s time for Rotary” because we usually have Rotary meetings on Saturday mornings. If our club has a weekend event, like the School Supply Drive we just had which was on Saturday and Sunday, I don’t feel like “Well, there’s goes my weekend…no time to rest”. Instead, it energizes me to go out and be with Rotary friends and help the community. (Of course, I had to take a nap every day when I got home.) “Making a difference” is not just a tag line to me anymore. With Rotary, I feel part of a community of our club and the entire world! And we can do so many things to help people! And when I retire, my life will still be purposeful and fulfilling because I will have a Rotary-life. I am so grateful to Rotary. Thank you for being part of it.
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"SERVICE ABOVE SELF"
Mililani, HI 96789
United States of America