Vampires, the good ones

As I lie on the bed at the American Red Cross Blood Drive in the Union, I am reminded of my designation for the Nurses running the blood drive “Vampires”; this is technically wrong cause they are not using the blood for themselves (nor do they drink it) but nonetheless they take my blood. They take my blood only cause I freely give it when I can because I am able to and I can withstand the pain of the needle because there are those who need the blood and are in much more pain than I. Donating blood is something that every person should do if able, because we never know when we will need a transfusion ourselves. But it goes deeper than that because we should be willing to help our fellow citizen of the world because they are in need. The old saying and golden rule “do onto others as you would have them do onto you” is cliché, yes, but appropriate. How can we ask someone else to do something that we are unwilling to do ourselves?

This is similar to the topic of tithing, we give our money to a church or charities because we have been blessed with money, and so we wish to give back. Just as we do with our money we should do with our health, give because we have been blessed. Those who are able have been blessed with a body that is healthy enough to help others, so we should donate even though we may dislike/fear needles. This extends to donating organs, while alive or dead. It takes a special person to donate an organ while they are healthy because the operations are risky and the organ may be donated in vain. However, if we are viable donors after our parting from the living, one should consider it. Partially because we will never need them ever again but also, and more importantly, they may save another’s life or several lives. How can we justify taking without giving? I am not God (nor are you) and we may never save/prevent a death but if we are given that opportunity to try, why would anyone think, “it’s not me” or “it’s not someone I know.”