Give It Back

What is a "humanitarian?" According to Wikipedia, "In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings." The first time someone called me this, it was not really meant kindly, and honestly, I was very surprised. My image of what that meant at the time was either someone who had a lot of money and spent their whole life devoted to donating to various charities, or someone who sacrificed their lives to the cause of, for instance, cruelty to animals.   


However, if you go by the Wiki definition, aren't we all like this? I'm sure there are some very selfish people out there who don't give back, but I don' t know anyone like that. Even people you may not automatically think about may surprise you if you got to know them better. Sometimes I feel like I stretch myself too thin, but when I think of all the needs out there, I can't help myself. I am a very empathetic person. I try to hide it. The major personal conflict in my life is my inner war between my empathy and my self preservation. If you don't know the difference between empathy and sympathy, look it up and let that be your tidbit of knowledge for the day. Anyway, back to the topic at hand...


I am always looking for ways to give back. I am not a grand gesture kind of person. Some people, like our inspirational friends Ben and Cassidy Nelson, give so much and with such enthusiasm, that it is a joy to behold. Being the more private person myself, I look for passive ways. Such as being an organ donor. Such a little thing, just a check mark on your driver's license. Or donating blood. Even if you hardly ever donate, you will be on file if they need you. Which brings me to my most recent action. My childhood best friend has a son, Clay, who has been diagnosed with aplastic anemia. This will require a bone marrow transplant, of which his sister is not a match. I know the chances that I will be a match are slim to none, but I will never know if I don't get registered. There aren't even any needles required to be tested, just a swab of your cheek. And even if I'm not a match for Clay, I pray that I'll be a match for someone. How humbled and honored I would be if I could do that for someone. I encourage everyone to find some little way to give back or pay it forward. In time, we will all need to rely on others. That inevitability is why we were created to live in community with one another. Take five minutes and go to www.marrow.org and register to have a swab kit sent to your house. It doesn't cost anything, and could mean the world to someone else.


Blessings