A Most Precious Gift

It is the season of giving. My favorite time of the year. A time of family togetherness, love, a little peace and yes, the giving and receiving of gifts.

Yet this particular gift arrives of both very great need and of deeply heartbroken and heartfelt choice. That second part, the choice, is not the choice that everyone can make. Many would wish to, but due to health or circumstance are just not able. Some simply cannot, in that time and in that place. And that’s ok.

Our little one was one of those rare individuals that others were just naturally drawn to. I’m ashamed to admit that I used to get so frustrated at how long it took us to get out of a restaurant or a store with her.

It was never because of a temper tantrum or her dragging her feet, but because we were often stopped by random people commenting on how fun she was to watch or how something she did made them smile.

After a very exhausting day, in another city, we went with my family to a restaurant before heading back to the hotel for the night. I had a headache, and the whole time we were there my toddler chattered away (aimed at not only family but anyone in her range of sight), happily chewing on those little chunks of ice in her cup. I got on to her several times about the ice.

On the way out an older couple stopped us to say they just wanted to let us know how happy she had made them, that her apparent joy in chomping that ice brought them their own bit of joy. Turned out that they were in the restaurant to take a break from being with a family member in the hospital who’s prognosis was not looking good. I felt about two feet tall, after having been so frustrated with her. I promptly scooped her up into a great big hug, with tears starting down my face.

To her people were way better than toys. Well, people, her pets and horses. Any creature living, really, but people were her favorite. If you were happy she was happy, if you were sad she’d look for a way to make you happy.

It was because of her crazy love of the living and of living itself that when faced with the reality of making that heartbreaking choice… hope was now lost for us, but there could be hope for others… we chose to honor her and her love of life through that greatest and most precious of gifts.. life. The hope and gift of life through organ donation.

And while I have wished her back maybe a million times or more, I will forever be grateful for those three lives she changed. That in some small way she might live on through them.

For our Sue and Sue… I thank you from the bottom of my heart for having taken this gift and having made the most of it. Two truly extraordinary women! For living your lives to the fullest and for touching all those others around you. For allowing us into your lives, and in doing so giving us additional friends and family, even to this day.

And a huge thank you to the family of the little boy in whom her heart beat, whether for 20 minutes more or even now, nearly 20 years later. Thank you for loving him, and through him, loving and honoring the most precious part of me!

I would ask you, if at all possible, to consider marking that little organ donor box on your driver’s license. Hopefully it’s never needed.

But please keep in mind organ donation doesn’t just change one life, it affects many others as well… a husband, a wife, a mom, a dad, grandparents, siblings, dear friends. It gives not only life but gives time, as well. And those are two of the greatest gifts of all.