We watched a movie the other night about transplants. They always perk my interest because of my work in transfusion. I was part of many heart and liver transplants, but they were never very personal for my until the young donor’s heart went to his ailing grandfather, a gentleman known to my parents. And so the personal details had a powerful impact upon me, for both donors and recipients. In the movie, a young man suddenly died, giving organs to 9 recipients. The movie focused on the one receiving a lung transplant, and powerfully portrayed the gratitude for such a gift of life. On the other side, the grief of the family who lost their son was heartbreaking. One of the closing remarks spoken by the father to the lung recipient was a request–before the day ends, call someone (family, husband, wife, brother, sister, friend) and tell them how much you love them without attaching advice or any plea for improvement….just tell them that you love them for who they are.
This poem expresses such sentiments:
Don't wait to see a sunrise, or hold a child that cries. Don't wait to see a sunset, or help a friend get by. Don't wait to look for beauty wherever it may be. Don't wait to tell my mate how much you mean to me. Don't wait to smell a rose, or watch a storm-tossed sea. Don't wait to see the glory throughout eternity. Don't wait to look for wisdom that comes by every trial. Don't wait to look for the miracles in every babies smile.
There is a wealth of good posts to be found at churchofjesuschrist.org, formerly known as lds.org…check it out.
Good advice I hope to remember more often