TheLoWDoWN - Rotary Down Under

SmilesDon’t trust the weather manIt was April and the Aboriginals in a remote part of Northern Australiaasked their new elder if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.Since he was an elder in a modern community he had never been taughtthe old secrets. When he looked at the sky he couldn’t tell what the winterwas going to be like.Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he told his tribe that the winter wasindeed going to be cold and that the members of the tribe should collectfirewood to be prepared.But being a practical leader, after several days, he had an idea. He walkedout to the telephone booth on the highway, called the Bureau of Meteorologyand asked, “Is the coming winter in this area going to be cold?”The meteorologist responded, “It looks like this winter is going to bequite cold”.So the elder went back to his people and told them to collect even morefirewood in order to be prepared.A week later he called the Bureau again.“Does it still look like it is going to be a very cold winter?”The meteorologist again replied, “Yes, it’s going to be a very cold winter”.The elder again went back to his community and ordered them to collectevery bit of firewood they could find.Two weeks later the elder called the Bureau again.“Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?” he asked.“Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s looking more and more like it is goingto be one of the coldest winters ever.”“How can you be so sure?” the elder asked.The weather man replied, “Our satellites have reported that the Aboriginalsin the north are collecting firewood like crazy, and that’s always a sure sign.”Rotary Club of Laurieton, NSWDivine JusticeFather Norton woke up Sunday morning and, realising it was anexceptionally beautiful and sunny early spring day, decided he just hadto play golf. So he told the Associate Pastor that he was feeling sick andpersuaded him to say Mass for him that day.As soon as the Associate Pastor left the room, Father Norton headedout of town to a golf course about 60km away. This way he knew hewouldn’t accidentally meet anyone he knew from his parish. Setting upon the first tee, he was alone. After all, it was Sunday morning andeveryone else was in church!At about this time, Saint Peter leaned over to the Lord while lookingdown from the heavens and exclaimed, “You’re not going to let him getaway with this, are you?”The Lord sighed, and said, “No, I guess not”.Just then Father Norton hit the ball and it shot straight towards thepin, dropping just short of it, rolled up and fell into the hole. IT WAS A420m HOLE IN ONE!St. Peter was astonished. He looked at the Lord and asked, “Why didyou let him do that?”The Lord smiled and replied, “Who’s he going to tell?”Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond, NSWObject ofRotaryThe Object of Rotary is toencourage and foster theideal of service as a basis ofworthy enterprise and, inparticular, to encourageand foster:1The23The4development ofacquaintance as anopportunity for service;High ethical standardsin business andprofessions; therecognition of theworthiness of all usefuloccupations; and thedignifying of eachRotarian’s occupation asan opportunity toserve society;application of theideal of service in eachRotarian’s personal,business andcommunity life;The advancementof internationalunderstanding, goodwilland peace througha world fellowshipof business andprofessional personsunited in the idealof service.www.rotarydownunder.org 39www.rotarydownunder.org 39