The power of One!

As we enter another year, most of us would probably be thinking of our own resolutions for the New Year. Let us resolve to fully use the power of One this new year. I used to think that one person can do very little and impacting one person doesn’t materially change anything. That was till I was reminded of the origin of the Bhagwad Gita. It was a set of teachings delivered by one person to only one person and see the reach of that now!

Doing good in the world doesn’t necessarily have to be a large-scale mega effort. There is much to be said about the power of One. Each one of us has the ability to positively impact at least one person with our words or action or both. Each one of us can choose to be a brand ambassador of Rotary and spread the word about the good our organisation does. One Paul Harris chose to share his ideas with three of his friends and Rotary was born. Each one of us has the ability to demonstrate that to be generous, it is not necessary to have a large wallet. All we need is a large heart. If we look at the list of donors in Rotary, there may be many unlikely names. The names of those who believed they have it in them to make a difference.

All big things have started as the dream of one person. So was our signature polio eradication campaign. We can dream of something that can possibly change the world. It is within the ability of each one of us to do so. Each one of us can look around us and dream of creating those things that would make a fair and an equitable society, that aren’t there currently.

One drop certainly doesn’t make an ocean. But the ocean would certainly be one drop poorer if that drop wasn’t there. I urge every one of you to resolve this new year to unleash the power of one — the power that is within each one of us.

Wish you all a ‘Onederful’ New Year!

A S Venkatesh
RI Director, 2021–23