International and Evaluation Contests
by Barbara Stewart
Hello again my friends. What an interesting and thought-provoking evening we had last Tuesday. Everyone has learnt something new – and what is life for, if not to learn, and to keep on learning?
Many congratulations to our winners and participants in our speech competitions and to every organiser. I think all members of our club were involved in one way or another in bringing our evening performances to fruition.
I’m not going to give a repeat of the General Evaluation, that would not be necessary except to say, that it made me think! I can not think help but ponder about the general feeling I have regarding the niggles of disquiet we all have, often unspoken, hidden within us, about the state the country, the world, and our individual reality that “we can’t make any difference”, “there is nothing we can do”? – Ah, but we can. We all know the meaning of “the kindness of strangers”, don’t we?
We might feel we are simply one little drop of water in the mass of the ocean of humanity, and what difference do we really make – can we really make? We can! We do! – if we think positively, if we act with kindness. In the world today, where instant gratification is being spread across our televisions, radios, laptops, and mobiles, it is hard to reject the constant advertising, to not comply with the everlasting advertisements to buy more alcohol, sugar infused drinks and lollies, extra clothes, another car, and yet one more plastic bag etc. But with mates, friends, relatives and ourselves, moan about restrictions, home-schooling, and more, how can we escape the Me, Me, Me attitudes, and demands for instant gratification – it is an incessant pressure upon us all. So, we need to remember the old saying “the journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step”. So, smile, be kind to one another, maintain a positive attitude and travel a new path. Costs us nothing and won’t hurt anyone. It may cost you the effort of thought.
Enough!
I must record the names of our winners of the two competitions.
International Contest
1. Elaine Ghali
2. Mark West
Evaluation Contest
1. David Whyte
2. Elaine Ghali
Our next meeting is on Zoom, Tuesday 16th November at 7:00pm, where we will be holding our Humours and Impromptu speaking competitions.
I look forward to our new agenda and to another interesting and exciting evening. See you then!