2 Pints Down in The Truth (As I Know It)

Gave a Power Red blood donation today, and by the end of work tonight I was really dragging. I’m O Neg- universal donor- so I try to give blood as much as I can. The minor annoyance of feeling fatigued for awhile is entirely insignificant when weighed against the opportunity to potentially help save someone’s life.
Every time I donate I think about my grandfather. He was a giving, caring man in many ways- one of which was being a dedicated blood donor over the course of his lifetime. He actually received an award while in his 60’s in appreciation of his decades of donating.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to emulate his charitable ways the best I can. The recent purchasing of commemorative bricks for the Foundation that I coordinated with my parents and sister was in the spirit of the example my grandfather set. Last year was a donation to a local organization that serves women and children who have been victimized by domestic abuse.
Each time I’m able to organize a decent donation to a worthy cause, it brings me closer to my grandfather’s memory. He was a man who raised a large family (8 kids) on very little money, yet still found the means to faithfully contribute to the Methodist church and a myriad of charitable organizations. Anytime anyone needed ANYTHING- a monetary contribution, his labor, his time- he was always there. He was a rock of a man and it makes me feel good to honor him in my own small ways.