Winds of Change

A very good morning everyone. The beautiful festival of lights, Diwali, have just passed by, and as a new day dawns on sunny Mumbai, this morning feels different, it feels new. 

Amid chit-chat with my mum, dad, Rajiv (brother) and Namrata (my sister-in-law who is now a sister) ~ about one last dinner over the past weekend weekend ~ Nam and were contemplating our attire - sarees or churidar? In fact, I was sure then that I would wear a saree; a beautiful pink one with delicate sequence work.

Now, I simply must stick to my resolutions with such conviction. And you know what; I will… thanks to Aaron Gray, a 13 year old boy in the UK, whose name is already on the organ donor list. Aaron’s own life-saving surgery at just three years of age and organ transplant (thanks to another little child saviour), helped him live. His beaming smile and sparkling eyes personify life and the very sacredness of it.

We are all here today, but, we can never be too sure of what tomorrow holds... and we shouldn’t. I believe our good Lord has given us just the information we need and hopes that we understand his teachings through them. My resolution is to give more of myself to this world. Aaron is a shining example and someone who touches is and urges us to move, move to do something, anything we can, in our own small way to help someone in need.

We live in troubled times, but, this is why we need to give ourselves to others even more. In fact, no matter how much we may do, there is always more that we can contribute. My nana always said, "Darling, never count or measure the good deeds you do. God wants us to live our lives doing only good, so do all you can, ad help everyone you can. Who knows, even a little smile can brighten up someone's day, restore someone's faith and give someone renewed hope. And this is what we must strive to do." Think about it, if God sat and measured all the good deeds he does for us, he'd have a never-ending, ever-increasing list. And no matter, what we do, how we choose to live our lives, he is here, with us and living in us. He sees himself in us, and he wants us to find him in our hearts and in everyone else's hearts too. After all, he's made us in his image.

I've decided that one of the first things I am going to do this year is pledge my organs. I am here today and they serve me well, I may not be here tomorrow, but I want them to serve someone else even better than they’ve served me. Organ donation is not about living through someone else, it’s about helping someone else live and discover a life of their own – a healthy life, a life that God willed for them.

I have no questions for God, only answers, answers that he already knows, answers that he helps us understand and realise in time. Every little millisecond is an experience of life; every little breath is proof of physical life in us. How lovely it is to help someone experience and feel the same thing. For every 100 sufferers, there is less than one organ donor! So many people lose their lives due to the lack of organ supply… and that’s when we wonder, if only, if only X, Y, Z who passed away, had donated! If only…

Little Aaron Gray is a living example of respecting the sacredness of life and honouring it by pledging his organs. I thank him for helping me realise that I must pledge mine too… not to live through someone else, but to help someone else live.

It’s easy – make a commitment and keep it. You need to call your local hospital and express your desire to donate. They will be more than happy to guide you towards doing so. Who knows, our pledge could return someone’s smile, could rebuild someone’s faith, could restore someone’s hope and could give someone a renewed will to live… for himself/herself and for others too.

Oh to enjoy the breeze under the shade of a beautiful tree

Gentle ocean waves kissing our ankles

The twinkling stars with stories to demonstrate

A rising sun of a hopeful new dawn

A quiet moon that promises precious dreams to cherish over a lifetime

A new day to spread love and joy…

Let’s help everyone experience life and live it… as she should be lived.

All of us love positive change in our world, how about us starting with ourselves. We’re here today, gone tomorrow. For now, let’s use our todays towards helping someone have a better tomorrow.

Have a fabulously blessed day everyone. J 

P.S: The following link will give you an insight into organ donation. However, please check with your local medical facility for details: http://www.lorihartwell.com/GlobalOrganDOantionPolicies.pdf