A DRUG-ADDICT GIVES LIFE TO MANY
Sr Theresa Viegas PBVM
Just for bit of relaxation after completing the day’s responsibilities, I called a former student of mine who was now a joint Director of SOTTO-Goa (State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization). Her unexpected reply was: “I am dead tired…just waiting for the last organ to fly and the body to be taken to the morgue.”
Prem (name changed) only son of a family in Chhattisgarh, got hooked to drugs at a very early age. A high school dropout, his thirst for drugs made him to land in Goa in search of drugs. For a steady supply of money, he took up a job in a hotel. This particular day he was knocked down by a speeding vehicle, only to be declared brain dead when brought to the medical college. Prem’s noble parents donated all his organs and his body for research.
As the saying goes, ‘one is rich through what one gives and poor through what one refuses and keeps.’ With a million thanks to the quick response of SOTTO team, Prem’s heart beats anew in Mumbai, his liver lives on in Nagpur, his lungs breathe in Secunderabad, his kidneys gave new life to two in Goa, and other organs and tissues bring new life and hope to several other sick persons.
All a Matter of Giving
That night sleep eluded me. A drug addict who lived for himself yet lives on in others unfolded to me the profound message of life. Prem came to give? He would have no idea of the good his giving has brought…No! The time to give is while we live, and not after our death. I wish to quote German biologist Andreas Weber, “Life is a part of a gift economy. You are given this enormous life to enrich it as best you can and then you give it back. It’s all a matter of giving.” Once, when Dr Abdul Kalam was asked what makes him so enthusiastic, he said “I keep thinking of what I can give…”
I am deeply convinced that life’s best lessons are learnt from people rather than from clever theories. There is only one life to live. We can keep on walking, scattering petals, leaving behind a trail of the fragrance of goodness. Wreaths and crowns are sure to descend at the end of the journey. Every moment of each day is the favorable time to give, let it begin with a smile. Give a smile: you lose nothing, it improves the face value regardless of caste, colour, creed and complexion. The glow of joy illumines the giver and the receiver alike, reflecting the image of the creator. A smile is contagious and one is bound to get it back. As Mark twain said, “wrinkles merely mark where smiles have been.”
The Many Gifts We Can Give
Give a polite word to those you interact with, knowing you are passing by just once, and this moment will never come again. Give courage to those you find in despair. You may be the only angel the person ever encountered. Give hope – let yourself be the reason for someone to live. Give your time, for there isn’t a greater gift than that. What joy could exceed the realization of all that the creator of the universe has given you, and, to add to it all, He has carved you on the palm of His hand? There are countless reasons to be grateful. The awesome gift of breath and of this new day is enough to forget all hurts and to let go … and to keep giving…
Martin Luther King once said that life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? Show kindness to all as the only rent you need to pay for occupying a place on this earth. Give your compassion to all who need it and let the world be a better place because of you. Be a source of inspiration around, enlightening every corner you visit with positivity. Be an optimist with no complaints. Be proactive. May you yield a rich harvest and be like a magnet that attracts others with your giving, After all, it is in giving that we receive.
After spending years serving the Dalits doing the most unwanted jobs, Sr Theresa now works as archivist for her province.
Sr Theresa Viegas PBVM
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