Happy New Year Roswell Rotary! I hope you all had a great NYE and ready to begin 2026! It’s been 3 weeks since we have last met, and I am looking forward to a new year, new opportunities and a new attitude towards what we can be in 2026!

“I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.” — C.S. Lewis

There may be no better way to step into a new year than with that kind of honest reflection. Acknowledging where we fall short, recognizing where we hope to go, and giving thanks for how far we’ve already come. That tension—between who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming—is exactly what makes a new year so powerful.

As we turn the page to 2026, we are given something rare and valuable: a clean slate. Whether 2025 was one of the best years of your life or a year you’re ready to leave behind, the calendar gives us permission to begin again. New goals. New habits. New perspective. New purpose. A fresh opportunity to become more of the person we were meant to be.

Rotary fits beautifully into that idea of renewal. Service Above Self is not just a motto—it’s a way of shaping character. When we choose to serve others, we inevitably change ourselves. We become more aware, more compassionate, more grounded, and more purposeful. In that sense, Rotary is not just something we do on Thursdays; it’s something that quietly molds who we are every other day of the week.

The beginning of this coming year carries special meaning for me personally. On January 7, it will mark one year since my father passed away. The last year has been one of grief, reflection and maybe a little growth. Loss has a way of clarifying what truly matters. It has challenged me to be more present, more intentional, and more committed to living a life that honors the legacy he left behind.

In 2026, my goal is simple but demanding: to be better. A better man. A better husband and father. A better friend. And a better Rotarian. If I can do those things—if I can live in a way that reflects his values—then his legacy continues, not just in memory, but in action. One lesson my dad never tired of repeating was that attitude is everything. He believed—deeply—that attitude could make or break a person, a career, a marriage, or an organization. Circumstances matter, yes. But attitude determines how we meet those circumstances.

Charles Swindoll said it best: “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts… more important than circumstances, failures, successes… It is more important than what other people think or say or do. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” That choice shows up in how we view our work, our service, and our role in Rotary.

As I had my 2026 planning meeting with my State Farm team, I shared with them a very old story that I have heard many times. It’s an old Chinese parable of the farmer: One day, this old farmer’s horse ran away. When villagers told him it was terrible, he simply replied, “Maybe.” When the horse returned with seven other new horses, the villagers called it a blessing. Again, he said, “Maybe.” When his son later broke his leg training one of the horses, the villagers called it tragic. The farmer replied, “Maybe.” And when the army came through the village and did not take his son to war with them, the meaning of those events shifted once again.

The lesson isn’t that events don’t matter—it’s that we rarely understand their full meaning in the moment. What matters most is patience, perspective, and attitude.

There’s another simple story that illustrates this perfectly. Two identical bricklayers were working side by side. A passerby asked the first man, “What are you doing? He replied, “I’m laying bricks. It’s hot. It’s hard. And it’s just a job.” The passerby then turned to the second brick layer and asked him the same question. The second bricklayer smiled and said, “I’m building the greatest cathedral in the world.” Same bricks. Same heat. Same work. Completely different meaning. To me,……That’s Rotary!

As we move into 2026, we can look at Rotary as a weekly meeting, a meal, or another obligation on a busy calendar. Or we can recognize that we are building something far greater—stronger communities, changed lives, and a legacy of service that will outlast us. Perspective transforms effort into purpose. As Rotarians stepping into a new year, we don’t have to fully understand every challenge or outcome ahead of us. We simply need to commit to showing up with the right attitude, a servant’s heart, and a belief that what we are building together matters.

Cheers to 2026! A new start. A renewed purpose. And a year where we choose—every day—"to build the cathedral.”

Sic Vos Non Vobis

Trummie Lee Patrick III