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"The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives - to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents... All of us - we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations."
- President Obama, Tucson, AZ, 12 January, 2011

Today marks the one year anniversary of the shooting of Congressman Giffords and 12 others and the killing of 6 more in Tucson, AZ. On January 12th, 2011, President Obama delivered the above stated words in his memorial to the victims of the shootings three days before. All politics aside, the choice of words the President used to express his ideas were very moving. As I have reflected over that event and how it applies to each of us, it got me to thinking of one of the Rotarian guiding principles, "Service Above Self", which many of us embody in our day to day work, whether in public service, private sector companies and non-profit agencies. What does that statement mean to each of us in our everyday lives? How are we demonstrating that paradigm in our day to day living? How am I living up to the calling to be a better servant to those around me, both individually and to my community, by placing service above self?

The examples we have seen in the news these past 10 years (since September 11th, 2001) have truly raised the bar for us in what it means to place service above the needs of self. From the ultimate sacrifices made on that crisp Tuesday morning in September 2001 by so many of our fellow citizens, to the unheralded acts of service that have occurred since, to those in our armed services around the world, to the law enforcement officers, fire service and other public safety members that have given their lives since January 1st of this year. There are those that have decided to truly place their ultimate act of service to sacrifice their lives for the benefit of others. Each week, it seems, there is another example of someone rising above their fears, rising above their needs of safety and security, and confronting that fear with courage and service to those around them. Many of those in our community membership have risen to the challenge and contributed their time, effort, and financial resources to truly make their respective community, state, country and our collective world a better place. Let their leadership in that moment of decision be a call to action for all of us.

As we begin this new year, let's take a moment and think, within our own lives, how can we, as the President puts it, "strive to be better in our private lives", to help our community and our country "live up to the expectations" of those that are following in our footsteps in the next generation?" Penny Pennington, a resident here in Columbus, said once, "Do not work simply for a life of success. Strive instead for a life of significance". Each of us, as citizens of this great country, have the unique opportunity to create that life of significance through the work we do each and every day, following a guiding principle of Service Above Self. How will you make that contribution of service in 2012 and beyond?