Service Above Self

I was asked in a last-minute-we-can't-get-anyone-else-the-guy-who-was-supposed-to-come-welched-on-us kind of way to join two perfectly wonderful and qualified speakers who were doing a presentation about Social Networking to the Rotary Club of Paducah.

half of the tables before things got started

When I arrived, I thought, my, my this is a big room with a lot of seating! I had imagined the Rotarians were a small group of (mostly boring, self serving NO I DID NOT SAY THAT) business people. Three of us were to speak.

Mary Thorsby IS social networking in Paducah. She started iListPaducah dot com, for which I write the iPet of the Week feature. She is a dynamo and a treasure and a precious gem, and all of us in this region -most of all the charities - have benefited from her creative spirit and energy and ask me how I really feel!!! Mary spoke first.

Laura Thornton is Laura K of Laura K Style. She's only a model, a PR guru, a marketing genius, and a graphic designer all in one. She was the second speaker.

And then there was ... me.

I looked out the windows at the same river where the dogs and I walk every morning. It calmed me some. Some.

Mary and Laura had prepared wonderful talks about how to use Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, LinkedIn and a bunch of other stuff I'd never heard of.

I walked to the podium and held up my digital camera and said, "SMILE! ...Y'all are going to be on my blog tomorrow!"

and they did! Only I couldn't fit everyone in one shot.

And then I said, "I'm here as proof that if I can do this stuff, anyone can do this stuff. I have a little blog, and I have found great friends on Facebook, but I don't get Twitter. I keep telling folks for heaven's sake don't follow me on Twitter, because I have no Earthly idea where I'm going, and there you go I have five new followers."

I certain I didn't teach those Rotarians much of anything. But I sure did learn. I really thought the Rotary Club was about people pushing their businesses. Kind of like the recorded messages about consolidating your debt phone calls you get at dinner time. HA! This was absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong! Their motto is Service Above Self. I looked around the room and saw the friendly faces of the people I most respect in Paducah. They recited:

The 4-Way Test

Of the things we think, say, or do...

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Huh? That doesn't sound like a bunch of self serving business sharks! (Not that I have anything against Sharks, Janet Reid, Literary Agent. I loved being your chum*.) That sounds like my very own personal mantra. How did they... ? This sounds like something Little Miss Goody Two Shoes could dig right into.

As I listened to the meeting progress, and to new members being sworn in, I was more and more impressed with the whole philosophy behind the Rotary Clubs. Today I've searched around the web and I'm even more delighted with what I found.

L to R: Laura Thorton, Rotary President L V McGinty, Mary Thorsby and Goody Two Shoes

So. What do you know? Life is good!

hug your hounds and your Rotarians

*query #112, if you were curious