Change. It seems to be all around us, especially this time of year. Change of seasons. Change in the weather. Changing leaves. Changing sports champions. The time change.Change can be scary, or make us uncomfortable. Maybe it’s the uncertainty of change, the not knowing what is to be. Remember the changes after 9/11, or since Covid.
Of course, change is inevitable, and in fact, necessary. We can’t stay unchanged. Imagine always being 6 years old. Forever. Think of the things you’d never experience.
Often, change turns out to be beneficial, like the polio vaccine, which is estimated to have reduced polio infections by 99.9%. I doubt many Rotarians would consider that a negative change. And imagine not having water purification, electricity, or automobiles. My personal favorite is air conditioning.
So, why do we as Rotarians and Rotary clubs often resist change?
As I have visited the clubs of 5830, many say they are ready for change. They want membership growth, new service projects, challenges to spur personal growth and leadership. But when change needs to occur in order to fulfill these goals, the old fears of change bubble to the surface.
And faced with a change, someone says “But, we’ve always done it that way.” If a club becomes fearful of change, the club will eventually wither and die. New members join, but leave in frustration when their new idea falls on fearful ears.
Volunteering for RYLA taught me that it was ok to be afraid of something, and yet tackle it anyway in order to become a better version of myself. I’ve been blessed to witness countless young people at RYLA discover the same thing. I’ve met club leaders willing to be brave, and I want to encourage them to continue gently guiding their clubs through the scary parts of change.
I’ll leave you with this:
“We can't be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don't have something better.”
― C. JoyBell C.
― C. JoyBell C.
