First two months of  the New year  - January and February kept all the lions tip toe   with  so many  Zone- Region- District programmes. Zone   and Region conferences   passed by  each better than the other. The uniqueness of these assemblages  was the  various  service projects  carried out at the zone- region levels. Lions proved themselves to  fully aware of the  purpose for which  they are in this world. They  did not fail in  making  general public and the needy community    commend,  “ they serve…”. 

My dear friends,  a noble purpose  gives meaning to  one’s own life and is of benefit of others. A purpose pursued with  sincerity can  widen its scope with the passage of time. Once a purpose is found, one should  focus on one’s own course  and  not get involved  in what others  may or may not  do. History is replete with  such  laudable instances.( Finding a purpose in Life – R.M.Lala)  People all over the world   are inspired by  Emperor Asoka  whom H.G.Wells  in his Outline of the History of the World  described thus,  “  Amid tens and thousands of names  of monarch that crowd the columns of History …… the name of Asoka  shines  there- shines almost alone – a star”. An ambitious emperor  turned himself to be  a most beneficent  human being  when he  witnessed the atrocities he caused to people and  animals during the Kalinga war. He found the purpose of his life in spreading  Budha’s  message of peace  and compassion and left a permanent imprint in History.  Abraham Lincoln was of view  that a nation could not exist   half slave and half free. He believed that his  purpose in life as President of America was  abolition of slavery  which he did to the surprise of the whites.  A person with three doctorates  in Religion,  Music and Philosophy, Albert Schweitzer  could  not find his purpose of life  through  all these  studies  and at the age of 29, he ventured for  seven year course in Medicine to become a doctor and serve the poor African community which he thought his purpose in life.  40 years of  tireless service  for them brought to this great man Nobel  prize. Jamsetji  Tata  - a visionary  to whom an industrially developed  India was  the  sole purpose always  spoke of schemes and schemes only.    The name  of this man  remains ever  in grateful remembrance of all.  Bill Gates  had a purpose  to put  a computer in every house. Ratan Tata   had a dream  of producing the  ever cheapest car. Nelson Mandela   found the purpose of his life in freeing  the poor Africans from the British.  An insult  suffered in a train journey in Africa  prompted  Mahatma Gandhi to preach  on non violent resistance and lead the struggle for India’s freedom. As Jawaharlal Nehru put  in his “ Discovery of India” , Gandhiji had a purpose in his life ‘to wipe  every tear from every eye’.  Mother Teresa had a purpose  in slums and to serve God amongst the poorest of the poor.  Our former President and a great visionary  Sri A.P.J.Abdul Kalam ( India  2020 – A New Vision  for the Millennium,   Ignited Minds –  Unleashing the Power within) finds his purpose to  develop the youth of the country and to see India a developed nation through them and works for it. 

We lions also do have a purpose in  our lives, if only we understood it - to serve the needy. Lions  are expected to look beyond themselves to the needs of people.  Let us  not proclaim ourselves always, “We Serve”. When  we serve, let the  others  say  that ‘they serve…” as our  Lion  leader  A.P.Singh said in his Golden Jubilee Memorial Address.  Meaning is very clear. This is the best  message  to all lions  as the Golden Jubilee Year message of District 324 E1 and  a message  for  the Jubilees yet to come.  

 

Sincerely in lionism,

MJF  Lion Dr. C. Ramakrishnan Nair

District Governor