I was talking with a close friend recently and could tell that he was troubled. As we talked, he eventually started to tell me about problems at work and at home that were causing him to feel overwhelmed. My friend confided that he did not feel that he could handle it all, that there just was not enough time in the day to get it all done. 

After my friend told me the situation, I found myself asking him a simple question: "How can I help?” We then talked about some simpler matters that I could help with and lighten his load at least a little. In removing some of these smaller items he would have more time to address the bigger issues that required his personal attention. 

When our conversation was over, I realized that the question I had asked my friend was the same one I had talked about during the first club meeting I conducted. The context is a bit different, but the question is the same – How can I help?  What can I do to have a positive impact on a given situation and improve things for the people involved in it. 

That is what I believe Rotary is all about - taking action to improve the world, our community and ourselves. That action can take many forms and can occur in many different contexts. It may involve manual labor, programs for young people, fundraising, personal assistance or many other types of efforts. It may be focused on an individual, a community or the world (think of polio). In all cases, however, it involves people helping people. That is what I see when I look at the room on Tuesday mornings, and at other times I am with a group of Rotarians: people who want to help others. Working to help others is the heart of Rotary; it is why I am proud to be a member of this wonderful organization, and particularly this club. And why I see importance in the simple question: How can I help?

I hope you all enjoyed having this Tuesday morning off. I look forward to seeing you next week. 

Keep the faith,

David