BE WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO BE Every once in a while, we wear a mask to hide our emotions, our faces, our deficiencies. Whilst it may be necessary to do so under certain circumstances, we tend to overuse our masks. What's really beneath the mask is more important, more vital and more ethical. Rotarians are meant to be sincere, compassionate and benevolent. Our worth is more than we realize. The community you have touched may forget the name Rotary , but will not forget your face. Let our faces reflect what we are and let us improve this picture by being what we are meant to be more caring, more involved and more committed. Potentials within us are enormous. We rarely, if ever, understand our potentials. It is only in the times of emergencies that we tap our potentials. Let us treat service as an emergency and uncover our potentials. In early eighties, when eye-camps were a common and very much appreciated a Rotarian - a non-doctor, was seen at the makeshift hospital - the site of the camp. A large number of patients turned up and the doctor checked all the patients and then readied themselves for surgery. The volunteerRotarian was seen to do many things that needed to be attended to and it was well past midnight that the last operation was completed. A friend asked this volunteer My friend, I know that you retire every night around 10 p.m, but today it is well past midnight. Don't you feel tired and sleepy? No my friend he replied The vigour of service and the need of Rotarians to help, keep me so busy that I didn't feel sleepy. I did not know I had the strength to do so till I tried. The satisfaction and happiness this has brought will be my reward and I will, henceforth, never hesitate to volunteer Tap yourselves. Be what you are meant to be. Rotary needs your true face behind the mask we wear off and on. ASHOK MAHAJAN TRUSTEE THE ROTARY FOUNDATION (2009-13) DIRECTOR ROTARY INTERNATIONAL ( 2007-09)