“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” Cicero

There are moments in life when “thank you” doesn’t feel like an adequate response. This past Saturday night was one of those moments. As I stood in a room filled with more than 200+ Rotarians celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Roswell Rotary Club, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of appreciation. Appreciation for the people in that room, for the generations who came before us, and for the privilege of leading this club during such a meaningful year.

For seventy-five years, this club has lived out Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self in extraordinary ways. Millions of dollars raised to support charities in our community. Lives changed through scholarships, youth programs, and Interact clubs in our schools. Children around the world are protected through Rotary’s fight to eradicate polio. We have honored veterans, helped families in need, and strengthened our community through service projects too numerous to count. And on Saturday night, all of that history was sitting in one room.

An evening like that does not happen by accident. It happens because people step forward to serve. Bob Clarkson, Alicia Hughes, Bob Hagan, and Kathy Igou worked tirelessly to make sure such a great night came together. And as is so often the case in our club, there were so many more working quietly in the background, solving problems, filling gaps, and making sure everything ran smoothly so the rest of us could simply enjoy the celebration. Thank you as well to Chris Patterson (valet), the PP video team, the goodie bag team, the registration team, and so many others whose efforts made the evening truly unforgettable.

I am grateful for each and every one of you. To that end, I think it’s important to remember to be grateful for the big gestures and for the small. And if I can be honest for a moment, I lost sight of that for a period of time on Saturday night. As I got ready for the celebration, my mind wasn’t on the milestone but it was on the details. The small things. The things that I didn’t believe were quite right. A timing issue here, a setup detail there, the little imperfections that, in the moment, felt bigger than they really were. I carried those thoughts with me into the evening. It probably wasn’t noticed by all, but it certainly was to me, and it had its effect…

But as the night unfolded, I began hearing a very different story from everyone around me. People were smiling, laughing, and celebrating. They spoke about how special the night felt, how meaningful it was, how proud they were to be part of something so much bigger than themselves. To them, it wasn’t a night of small flaws, but it was a perfect celebration of 75 years of service, fellowship, and impact.

Somewhere along the way, I realized the problem wasn’t about these small things of the night. The issue was my perspective. I had been staring at the small dots, missing the wide, beautiful canvas around them. I missed the forest for the trees as the saying goes….And when I finally stepped back and chose gratitude, I saw what everyone else had seen all along… It wasn’t just a good night. It was a perfect one.

When I chose gratitude, when I intentionally looked for the blessings around me, it shifted my perspective and made me a better man that night! Perhaps the greatest feeling of gratitude I carried home that evening was the honor of serving as president of this remarkable club during its 75th year. Leadership in Rotary is never about one person. It is about standing on the shoulders of those who came before us and doing our best to carry the torch forward. Seventy-five years ago, a group came together with a simple idea: By serving others, they could make Roswell a better place to live.

To every member of this club, thank you for the honor of leading during this historic 75th year. Thank you for your support, your service, and your friendship. And most of all, thank you for continuing a legacy that began 75 years ago and will continue long after us.

That is something truly worth being grateful for today!

Sic Vos Non Vobis

Trummie Lee Patrick III