Foundations of Rotary in Sustainability

I wrote this poem as I was inspired by Paul Harris and found myself concerned about the rising business-as-usual practices that focused on profiteering whilst at the same time communicating messages of service.

The founder of Rotary was a person who made his own way through life, he faced all matter of hardship and loneliness. In the latter part of his life he chose to start a club of business people as a friendship group, this was to be dedicated to service to the community. This intention was to form a 35,000 club network of over 1.25 million members. That is the power of goodwill.

A worldwide network can arise to develop a new earth based on sustainability, values, friendship and global commons where we all share the earth as responsible stewards. This is possible when we choose it. Perhaps you are the one to start, just as Paul Harris did.

THE 4 WAY TEST OF PAUL HARRIS

Paul Harris was a friend,
He could have been a Quaker, Christian, Theosophist, Jew, Baptist or Muslim,
For he saw them striving for the same end,
As friendship criss-crossing the globe,
To not be seen to be,
But to be a friend in deed,
Made his life worth living,
For this was the true giving,
The real foundation stone of Rotary.

For the libertarian the game of life plays for liberty not discipline,
Connects to faith in friendship not contacts,
Expresses trust not doubt,
An unlimited capacity to adapt to change,
Resourcefulness of a few resources appears strange as many wondered at this man,
To follow his heart outside social norms,
To climb the mountain of hope to dream,
To see there is no end game up ahead,
As life is lived and earned,
The bounty is found by experiencing the low roads and high paths of mountain peaks,
For this is the Everest from which he sought the perspectives of the many ways of men.

Wisdom formed the pearl of his life,
Early beginnings with grandparents,
A warm home to recite Emerson, Holmes, Thoreau, Longfellow, Whittier and Bryant,
The fire side poets and philosophers illuminating the shadows of narrow thinking held in unquestioned chains,
Were leading lights on the abolition of slavery, exploring the true nature of liberty from conservatism of New England puritans,
Philosophical footprints deepen impressions,
As he walked in the shoes of many souls.

A nonconformist, mischief maker and foolish prankster expelled from his class,
Black River Academy, Vermont Academy, the University of Vermont, Princeton and the University of Iowa were links to chains not stepping stones to a greater life,
For education was discipline and he was liberty in search of experience,
For his purpose was not of making money
“I am going for the purpose of living a life”
A life lived working as an office boy, reporter, labourer, teacher, actor, salesman, cattle man, foreman, fruit picker and lawyer,
These were winding cobblestone side roads of beginnings and endings offering in-sights,
Each step a Philosopher’s Stone carved from uncertainty, hardship, loneliness, poverty, sickness, hunger and self determination,
For who is to say that a gentleman with the end goal of status and wealth is success,
When the real goal is not an ending but beginning to learn the truth, to be fair, build goodwill and friendship to the benefit of all,
A goodness-of-fit test reviewing expected and actual observations as living values,
Graduating life with degrees of freedom.

Service above self is a natural expression
of living true to his nature to master destiny,
The many walks in the mountains elevated his awakening to the song of life,
Of conservation and to simply see value,
Free from expectations,
Free from prejudice,
Free from selfishness,
For to serve himself happily is well-being,
Fulfilling his true nature inspired happiness and natural service for the good of all,
And this is the meaning of sustainability.

On the 23 February 1905 friendship found expression in a new club called Rotary,
Rotary means rotation of the meeting,
the chairmanship and membership over 1 year,
A movement of friendship without self gain,
It was for-giving not for-getting
the sole purpose of life,
Extending the hand of friendship around the world in fellowship without fear or favour,
The natural outcome of a limitless life,
For peace is the nature of man fulfilled,
And perhaps good will is god’s will,
Paul Harris found the key of liberty,
As a sustainable future of peace on earth.