Have A Heart - Give a Heart

Every person has a single moment in which the pure and wild adrenaline of fear courses through their veins. It might be as the roller-coaster soars mercilessly down a creaky track, wind ripping through your hair. Maybe even that awful moment of realization that, sooner or later, the D - on that math test will be discovered by your parents. For thousands at this very moment, a reason for terror is so much more justified. Too many are facing a realization that tomorrow may never come, and the moments to cherish were all yesterday; it’s too late for more now. All that there is left to do is wait on a cold hard hospital bed, IV’s pinching your arm, only accompanied by detached Med school graduates, and wait, more waiting. Wait for a savior that for too many, never comes.

She rides the spring air; her crisp blonde hair flies nearly as high as her dreams, as the swing takes her up, up, up, until she is convinced one day, she’ll touch the sky. The happiness of this moment fills her up, and like a church bell, ringing so soft and sweet, she bursts into peals of laughter. But the moment won’t come to the Fairy-Tale ending we all find ourselves hoping for. Pain erupts in her heart - as she falls the only few feet that in her imaginative mind she sees as miles, her mother rushes to her aid. She will become the next to lay on a hospital bed and wait for her death. The bitter reality is that heart, liver, kidney, lung, etc., failure doesn’t always hurt the alcoholic smoker who snaps at those who try and love them, but every type of person. A loving father, the little girl who lives on her swing, a college student longing only to get somewhere in the world, and the kind-hearted grandparent who has devoted their whole life to charity will not find themselves pardoned by the conscience that sits so fresh in them. Their organs want to fail? They will, no questions asked. For all you know, this could happen to you, or someone you love, or know. Someone that anyone would wish to help. So, if this is the case, why are people waiting?

To be realistic, we all feel for these people. We all want to help. But the very moment an eager salesperson realizes you want to help, they ask you about an ideal community service opportunity. And we freeze. Sometimes even at something tiny. It takes the purest of dedication to donate so much as 3 hours of time on their day off. So, obviously, having to undergo arduous surgery, days of recovery, and possible death to save a stranger by donating your liver or kidney isn’t something we all are lining up at the door to do. But it’s the right thing. I’d like to think we all have the pure soul to do that. Since we don’t, here it is. Imagine the person you love the very most in the world. Your mom, dad, brother, kid sister, best friend, true love, whatever works. Now imagine that they are the terrified soul laying on a hospital bed. Wouldn’t you want to help them? Wouldn’t it eat you up that of all things, you couldn’t? The moment you donate an organ, that person will breathe a sigh of relief. 1000 pounds lifted off their shoulders, a million pounds of exhilaration replacing it. And twice that for the person who will receive it. In my opinion, there is no reason why we shouldn’t give that to someone. No matter what our personal sacrifice is.

As the limp body arched up off the canvas, a sound reverberated through the room; electricity meeting bare human flesh. Of course, there is no use to it at all. The body will remain limp and dead. Doctors do it so they can hold the family and say they did all the can. The way to help is so simple. You can save lives, and all you have to do is overcome a fear of needles, and wince at the sight of your own blood. Donating blood is so much easier than an organ, and yet, it’s just as beneficial and generous as donating a precious piece of your live. Unlike that kidney, you will get the blood back. There is absolutely no recovery time besides sleeping that day, which we all want. And, on the severe upside, you get a cookie.

If we all work together, we can save lives. If we all try our hardest, harden our fears into drive, and give all we have, we can do it. We can slowly stop the pain and suffering of patients and parents. Family. Anyone wants to help. Now it’s time to help.