Norm Winterbottom
“Rotary is so simple that many people do not understand it, and some even misunderstand it. Rotary is not a philosophy…not an all-embracing world point of view which answers every question…and satisfies all the dictates of the heart and mind. Rotary is merely an association of business and professional men united in the ideal of service.” Paul P Harris — Address to 1938 Rotary Convention, San Francisco, California, USA
Notwithstanding Paul Harris’ unembellished description, it is irrefutable that we each hold our individual perceptions of what Rotary is, its place in our daily lives and the lives of those around us. For me, the perception is formulated on the three interconnected tenets of Fellowship, Service and Peace. Without Fellowship there can be no Service and it is Service which motivates our search for Peace.
Rotary Friendships are like no other, save perhaps those special bonds that are formed by the exigencies of the military. Rotary Friendships take no account of social standing, colour, nationality, language, religious belief, social customs or political persuasion. They are formed on the basis of mutual respect, tolerance and recognition of the inherent worthiness of the individual. They endure in strength despite the fact that friends may be separated by oceans, national borders or inter-nation disputes and between some who may never physically meet. That is what makes them so special, even unique.
The 16th century English poet and satirist John Donne wrote: “No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. . .” It is my view that this proposition is the motivation for Rotarians in the giving of Service, not only to their neighbours, but to their communities, their nations and beyond the confines of their own national borders. I see Rotary Service as an extension of the Liberalism of Victorian England; an indivisible amalgam of compassion, pragmatism and duty. In other words, from each according to his means; to each according to his needs, cognisant of a balanced approach and limited responsibility for the welfare of others.
Again, to quote Donne, “Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.”
From the time of the hunter-gatherers through to the increasingly complex world in which we live today, aggression has extracted a grievous price on mankind, despite the technological advances and benefits which that aggression has brought in its wake. For more than a century Rotary, by its very nature and philosophies has been a beacon of hope in the search for peaceful solutions to conflict. Because of its apolitical nature, demonstrated neutrality and near universal respect Rotary has the ability to cross national borders to succeed where politicians and diplomats cannot. In a world of increasingly sophisticated weaponry, together with sectarian and national aspirations to territorial dominance, Rotary’s continuing search for Peace becomes more important than ever before, not just for the benefit of the present generation, but for the benefit and security of those who are to follow.
Why am I a Rotarian? I am a Rotarian simply because of an unshakeable belief in what I perceive to be the goodness in humanity that Rotary exemplifies in all that it does and all that it seeks to achieve.
Editor’s note:
This article dates back to 2014 - almost 10 years ago. The quote from Paul Harris, as you can see, is from 1938, prior to World War 2.
Norm Winterbottom was the Secretary of the Rotary Global History Fellowship. They produce a newsletter to members from time to time. This one was back in 2014 when Norm was Secretary.
Reproduced from Spokes, 5th April RC Pennant Hills