Service Above Self with Don Draayer at STRIVE
Posted by Steve Frazier
on Jan 26, 2012
On Thursday, January 26, 2012 Dr. Don Draayer spoke to the STRIVE Students about “Service Above Self” and how to serve others. Don’s focus was to impress on the kids the differentiation between “Self” and “Others” and how it is important to strike a balance in life. Don started his presentation with a hockey role-playing exercise using five STRIVE students. Two students were players coming down towards the goal and three were the goalie and the two sides of the net. The role-playing situation showed that the players have to make two decisions as they are bringing down the puck – should they pass it to the other player (i.e., be generous) or take it all the way and shoot it (i.e., hog it or be selfish). The goalie also has to anticipate and decide if the player is going to pass or take the shot on goal. Don summed-up the role play by saying that “Life is a lot like a hockey game – you have to decide to pass it on in life and be generous or you can keep it to yourself and be selfish.”
Draayer likened life as a balancing act between being generous or selfish as a that of the teeter-totter of life by visually showing that the selfish part of human behavior (i.e., me, mine, I) being balanced by the reaching-out to others (i.e., selfless, kind, considerate, giving). He emphasized that as Rotarians we strive to cultivated our concern and caring for others through our club and in our personal lives.
Don worked with the students using a handout of six major points to help them differentiate the selfish part of our personality and the giving or generous aspect of our lives and that this too is a balancing act. Don pointed out that in our life journey we start out selfish and then throughout life we learn from our role models how to be more giving and others directed. All relationships are a give and take and it is important to balance these in life. Don told the students about Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self” and the importance of giving back in life and that was the reason that the STRIVE Mentors give of their time and talents at MHS and in the community.
Draayer ended the presentation with the final point that the “Hear of the STRIVE Theme for today is…Do on to others as you would have them do on to you and find a balance in life between self and giving to others.” (Story by Steve Frazier)