Linda Henderson

District Governor 2020-21

 
        I absolutely love Fall. It is my favorite season of the year. Think about it. The days grow cool and crisp. The trees and our decorating take on colors like bright yellow, vibrant orange, and deep red. Harvest foods such as corn, tomatoes, peppers, and squash become  a centerpiece of our meals and  tables. There is so much to anticipate this season: football, Halloween, and festivals. My favorite holiday all year is Thanksgiving. First it is a fairly stress free holiday that revolves around a really good meal with even better leftovers. Second, it marks the beginning of the holiday season with all of the excitement and anticipation that goes with it.
        I know what you are going to say. Fall is just leading into winter. Winter is dark and cold and everything gets more difficult. Snow, ice, and cold keep us in and isolated. I am also aware that 2020 has seemed like a perpetual winter. We have been isolated, cold, and separated.
        As I grow older and approach the “winter” of my life I view winter quite differently. Winter is a time of stark beauty. Yes, we are more isolated, but that also gives us time to think and contemplate not only what we have done but what the future holds.
        So how does all of this poetic waxing and waning relate to Rotary?  If you are a Rotarian you have a great deal to think about in terms of accomplishment. As I travel and speak to Rotarians I am struck by the many lives Rotarians have touched. Know that, in most cases, Rotary’s involvement in a situation has brought about a miracle in the lives of people who need that miracle. 
        Think also of the things to which we can look forward. On August 25, Nigeria has been polio free for 4 years. The World Health Organization has declared the entire continent of Africa polio free. We only have two countries left in Asia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where polio even exists as a threat. Can you imagine the party we are going to have in 6 or 7 years when we have beaten this horrible disease that kills and cripples our children?
        The best part of this is no one ever hears a Rotarian say I am too old, too sick, or too handicapped  to help. Yes, we admit our limitations but then we say, “How can I be of help to you, surely there is something I can do.”
        Press on, Rotarians!