Important Lesson #5

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at ahospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz whowas suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.'

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her; but he had chosen to save her anyway.

A note of observation from me:
Would I be willing to give so much of myself for my family/friend? I don't know, and I can't say with honesty until I am faced with the situation; but I pray I would give it serious consideration and not be so selfish as to say an outright no before thinking and praying it over. That is a really hard thing to do, and this 5 year old had so much love and compassion for another. I would have loved to know the rest of the story, and to know what kind of a man be grew to be. His parents also deserve credit for raising such a boy as he. That is a credit to the whole family.