Valentine's Day, Hallmark's favorite holiday, is really not one of my favorites. As far as I can tell, it was a holiday made up by the greeting card and flower industry for the purpose of obligating people to buy stuff.
I have a different way of celebrating Valentine's Day -- something I believe that Saint Valentine, the Christian martyr who restored sight and hearing to the daughter of his jailor before being beheaded for refusing to denounce Christ, would find more fitting.
Each Valentine's Day that I am able to, I give blood. I've been doing that since I was twenty. Of course that is not the only time during the year that I give blood, and some years I can't do it exactly on February 14 because I'm not feeling well, or it falls on a Sunday, or I'm not elgible yet.
I have given thirteen gallons of blood so far -- typically once every two months. I don't know who has benefitted from any one of those 104 units, but it is a simple thing that can save lives. Only about 10 percent of the population gives blood regularly. This Valentine's Day, you ought to think about starting to give a gift from the heart.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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1 comment:
I have my 8 gallon pin from Carter Bloodcare and I can't agree more. Platelets are my choice and they say I have something in my blood that is especially beneficial to infants so I really feel like I have helped when I give!
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