Rising to the Opportunity

Given the current situation in our external world, I thought it might be stimulating to share a short story about a very lucky lady. A lady who had a new heart. In a pandemic world. The lucky bit is that somewhere out there, an inspiring soul had donated their organ at their own will to save someone else’s life.

This story is not only meant to highlight the importance of organ donation. It also is a tribute to modern medicine and some incredibly talented, caring and gifted professionals. Apart from that, it might just help to put things that are happening in this world into perspective and give you some thoughts on how to pull through these challenging times.

Once upon a time….

…there was a young lady who lived life to the full. Enjoying the beauty of this world with all it could offer.  Until one day, she gradually started to become unwell and lost all her zest.

Following extensive investigations it turns out that her heart had been working so hard to give all the love it could, that it had started to wear out and break.

For years, she carried on living her life as much as she could but it was all very hard work and limited. Doctors tried to get the situation under control with traditional medical treatment. Unfortunately, one day her cardiologist turned around and said that it might be time to start thinking about replacing her own heart with a donor heart. The young lady was really not sure what to make of this. It took her a long time to research what this would mean and think about what she really wanted.

She had been very happy with who she was, her life and what she had achieved. She had a wonderful, independent family and loving relationship. They all were living their lives quite happily. So she figured, like everything in life, there is an end to everything. And what was meant to be, was what will be…

This was driving her thinking away from having the operation. Her cardiologist begged her not to throw away her life and asked her to at least go for an assessment at the transplant hospital to which he had referred her. His ethical responsibility as a doctor and his respect for the young lady made him refer her to the transplant hospital that he thought was the best choice. He made her promise to take the appointment and listen to what they have to say.

So the young lady did exactly that. She had all the tests done, met the team and spoke to some people who have received and also who have decided to donate an organ one day.

The people she met and all the information made her feel extremely humbled. Humbled about the compassion and kindness of her fellow beings. Also humbled about the advances in technology, the incredible commitment, talent and greatness of the transplant team. These people saved lives every day. They treated her like she was one of their family members, with a sincerity that felt so honest and caring. She came away from these experiences with quite a different perspective and a newly found strength.  Still not totally convinced but a long way towards making a decision.

Until one day, when she talked with her loved ones about what might be if she didn’t proceed with the operation. That’s when the young lady realised that she had been thinking very selfishly. It turns out that there were quite a few things that she could still find purpose that might contribute to the greater good of society and therefore have a meaning for her continued being.

That’s when she decided to go for the operation. Low and behold it all happened very quickly. The journey to recovery was not easy with many hurdles to overcome. She knew when she made the decision to go for it that transplant life was always going to be an unpredictable journey. There is no certainty and many risks. A bit like COVID 19 really or a recession as such…..

Her family, friends and support were all there for her, which overwhelmed her often feeling humbled and filled her with gratitude. They just were there sharing their love and that was incredibly powerful.

Every second of the day offers a new chance. A new chance to see the world in all of it’s beauty with gratitude. A new chance to redeem the compassion, empathy, love and care that she has received throughout her journey and give back, sharing her experiences to help others be the best they can be to make this world and its’ people a happier place.

She learned that despite the adversities and the challenges, that she could trust things to work out in the way they are meant to. As long as she kept working on her own mindset, self-awareness and evolution at the same time. Recognising the need for mental stimulation, resilience, healthy eating, energy work and exercise.

Are you now wondering how this year has restored my faith in human mankind?

This has only been possible because someone decided, out of the good of their heart, to leave a legacy behind by donating their organs.

Then you get people that create Trusts, who believe in the power of medicine, science and development, who want to give back and allow experts to dedicate their lives to saving others live’s. All the hard work from NHS key workers who tirelessly give all they have day in day out made this possible.

Without these great acts of human generosity this story would have ended a long, long time ago.

If this isn’t enough reason for me to find restored faith in human kind, then what does, I wonder.

I wonder: What will you take away from this little story to master these challenging times for yourself and your loved ones?