An unexpected spotlight

Last Saturday evening, Toastmasters of District 75 had it's Turnover Ceremony, where the District Officers of TM year 2024-2025 were discharged (Yehey! I no longer am Division N Director?), and the District Officers for TM year 2025-2026 got sworn in. I officially became the District Disciplinarian - yes, that was how I was introduced.

Normally, I'd say I'm not too heavy on pomp and pageantry - I'm a 'keep it simple, and get things done, so we can work' kinda guy - but I understand the need for protocol, so we went through the steps, following the program. It was basically a night to honor Director Jot Chiongbian for his leading the District for one year. It may not have been a banner year with respect to getting hin=gh marks to brag ot TI, but looking at our performance within the region, our numbers were not too bad. We were a stable District showing growth wehre others were content with their status quo. Anyway, I digress.

What was different about this evening happened when Director Jot started his Valedictory Address. He discussed his term's achievenets - humble as they may seem, they were positive still. He thanked the people surrounding him, His clubs, his supporting staff, his PQD and CGD. Then he begged permission to give thanks to his Division Directors, starting with Director Jolo for Division A, and leading to me as last, for Division N. Each portion segmented to a Director was short - possible three sentences of praise, congratulations and heartfelt thanks.

Now, Division N did not grow, as we failed to add one club to our numbers. Sure there were prospects, and one even in the pipleline - but it took too long, so this club will officially join the next term, and not be part of mine - them's the breaks... at least, we tried. What we made sure of was to clean up non-performing clubs, and support the active ones. There were two stragglers whom we tried helping reform... one of them a new club - which was rather frustrating. Needless to say, I could not see any plus points for Direk Jot to add when he came to talking about me, so I was expecting a token thank you for your effort.

What happended, though was that he thanked me for certain qualites he saw in me as I was working with him - then he unexpectedly said this was something he dahred with his sister - but never shared with anyone else... I, that is, the way I acted, maybe even moved, reminde him of his dad. He saw in me qualities he related with his father who was a few years past away. I was stunned - yes, jokingly, I though... oh no, now I'll be the 'tatay' of the district. Not anymore a cool 'pogi' director admired by many, and loved by lots.

Okay, back to reality. I did however realise that Director Jot was honoring me the way he did not honor the other Directors. His father was influential, and even became responsible with him becoming a Toastmaster - so seeing in me the qualities that reminded him of his dad was a profound gift to me. I was somehow placed in that pstiion of honor by process of comparison. It was something others could not remove, nor dispute. It probably gave me some presitge points... as an elder statesman. I guess I'll take it. After all, if I were anything like his father, then that means if I play my cards right, my kids may one day be leaders in Toastmasters too... just like Jot and Pria are.

One a personal note, I nearly cried. But that's okay - I saw Jot nearly cry when we sang to him, gave him a card with a personalized poem, a bunch of roses, and an electronic album filled with pictures of us working with him for the year. So we're even in that regard. Not that I'm keeping score.