By Roger Tausig
Rotary Club of Orange
Roger Tausig
I was watching television the other night, and when the program ended, it was immediately followed by a show on CBS called “The Gift: Kindness Goes Viral with Steve Harman.” I was intrigued by the title, so I kept watching.
In this show, Harman opens with a monologue about acts of kindness and the way one gesture can have a profound effect on a single individual or have a rippling effect that touches the lives of dozens, hundreds and even thousands of lives. Some of the good deeds covered in the program were done by people who themselves had been the beneficiaries of a single act of kindness by a stranger. These people were so inspired by what had been done for them, purely out of the goodness of someone’s heart, that they decided to build on that one act and pay it forward to as many people as they could.
One young woman, a hair stylist, had fallen very ill as a young child and was hospitalized for an extended period of time, connected to various machines that kept her alive as a cure was worked on. An extended stay in a hospital can take a toll on one’s appearance, which can lead to depression. A hair stylist who knew of the little girl’s situation went to the hospital and gave her the best haircut she had ever had, lifting her spirits and helping her to maintain an upbeat attitude as she endured her treatments.
That little girl was cured. Inspired by this one act, she learned the profession of hairdressing and soon made it her mission to go out onto the streets of her city with a chair and all of her tools to provide free haircuts to homeless and underprivileged people wherever she found them. She touches many lives in a unique and beautiful way by giving of herself.
There are several more stories covered in the program, but this column is about Rotary, so in the space I have left I must share why I am writing about this show.
I have belonged to the Rotary Club of Orange for about eight years. Over that time I have witnessed or been a part of many events and projects that demonstrate a key characteristic of Rotary: kindness. At all levels – local, regional, national and international – Rotarians demonstrate the desire and drive to perform acts of kindness for people in need everywhere, with no expectation of a reward other than the satisfaction of having fed the hungry, educated children, cured the sick and served those less fortunate than ourselves.
At a time when there is so much suffering and need everywhere, it has been extremely gratifying to be part of an organization that tackles small, medium and large projects, all with a singular motivation: to perform acts of kindness.
If you feel motivated to roll up your sleeves and join us in the kindness business, please feel free to visit our website at rotarycluboforange.org and select the “Join Rotary” tab, where you will find the electronic version of our membership application which can be submitted online once completed.
To learn more about Rotary, please give me a call at 203-605-5151.