25G January 2018 Newsletter

From the Desk of DG Tom Polk

I eat out almost every day for lunch at several fast food restaurants. However, I find myself being a “#1 with cheese”. So, what do I mean by that? I show up, look at the menu for a few seconds and
then I order the same thing I always do. After a point, staff just say “the usual?” So why so I do this? It is easy and it doesn’t require much thought. It is fast and efficient – I know what I am going to get and it is easy. Something new I may not like or it may take longer than I have for lunch. There are so many unknowns! Ultimately though, I am robbing myself of new experiences or the potential of finding something else that I like. The “sameness” seems to be comfortable but really it is my lack of desire for change.

I don’t try something else because of things that “might be” rather than what they are. I would rather trade comfort and “sameness” for adventure and excitement.

As Lions, we are the same way; we do the same projects, fundraisers and events because they are “easy” and “comfortable”. We do those things that we have always done because we know how to do them. Ultimately, this is robbing us and our community of new areas of service and event potentially new members. We enjoy the comfort of the projects that we have always done. We know what to expect and how things will come out (or should come out). New things require us to plan more, discuss more and become more engaged in the process. We have to work at it more than just “showing up like always”.

So as 2018 is starting, ask yourself and your club – “what new adventures are we going on this year?” Find one new service project to try – you may just like it!

We serve with a purpose