On My Heart Today ....

I sit in the car awaiting the end of my son’s soccer practice.   I look at my driver’s license…”ORGAN DONOR” is lettered in red on the front.   I turn it over and see blank lines still awaiting my & witnesses’ signatures authorizing my anatomical gift should something happen to me.    Indecisive….I must do something about that I think…..Sometime a decision … 

I hear the words “young” several times from my doctor as he describes the healthy donor tissue he delicately transplanted into my eye.   I nod my head.   Inside, though, a plethora of emotions spill.    Reality sinks in.    Someone died and a family made a choice - a decision - for others to have a new chance and  I am one of those others.   I am grateful and humbled.    

I do not know the definition of “young”  – except it is the opposite of “old” and probably "not expected”.   I think of the pain & sadness a family must have gone through these past days and weeks – and what they are going through today.    I think of my eye working to accept the new tissue and my doctor monitoring & planning next steps.    I think of the prayers gone up for the donor’s family,  for my doctor and for my successful surgery and recovery.   So much going on - sacrifice, decisions, gift, surgery, healing, recovery, prayers - so much to process.   

So today, in peace, I pray for the donor’s family and their comfort as they adjust to life without their precious loved one .    Today, with gratitude, I thank God for them for the greatest gift they have given many.   Today, in humility, I pray that God will help me find the right words and the right time to express my gratefulness to them.

This is what is on my heart today.