Want to be a grateful giver? It's all in the blood
Want to be a grateful giver? It's all in the blood
29 September 2022
A blood donation is an attitude of the heart, something I needed to remind myself of during a recent visit to the blood donor centre.
I reached a milestone that I am particularly proud of late last year. I attended the local blood donor centre for my 50th donation.
I have been a donor on and off for over 30 years. I was donating some of my A+ blood (the same type as roughly 31 per cent of the population) every three months, but in recent years I have swapped to plasma, which I can donate every two or three weeks.
I started giving blood with my dad, who was the rarer blood type of A- (about seven per cent of the population). He was always diligent in offering his life-saving blood, plasma or platelets whenever asked.
Proudly donating blood on my 50th visit.
He just wanted to help and taught me that it was a minor inconvenience that could bring significant advantages to others facing a health crisis. He had good veins, and when we donated together, we learned that I needed to be seen first because I am a slower bleeder. Even then, he would often be waiting for me in the refreshments area until I had finished. That’s one of the good things about being a donor – spending a little time indulging in the free refreshments provided to ensure that you have some recovery time before you head back out into the world.
Things have changed dramatically since I started donating. I now book my appointments via an app and can see how many donations I have given. I was quite excited as my 50th donation approached. I wasn’t exactly sure what I expected, but I can honestly say I was relatively underwhelmed. Not a single staff member mentioned that it was my big 5-0. There was no hoopla or celebration. I was prepared to be humble in accepting their gratitude for my generosity and persistence, but none were forthcoming.
Examining my motives
Partway through this donation, as I was starting to feel frustration building within me, I realised I needed to recalibrate my attitude. Why, after all, was I donating in the first place? Was it the free snacks, Wi-Fi and potential accolades, or was it to be a part of the healing journey for people I will never meet?
Of course, it is the latter, so I stopped focusing on the wrong thing, relaxed into the comfy chair and continued reading my book. I was prompted to think about our innate human need to be acknowledged for good actions and found this verse in the Old Testament: “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:10). This demonstrates that while I might be doing a good thing, if my heart and mind are not doing it for the right reason, I will not receive the reward I might believe God owes me.
I am glad I checked my attitude and was truly able to enjoy the reward of the act itself. I write about this today for two reasons, neither of which is about wanting to draw more attention to my donation: Firstly, I want to encourage you to think about things you might be hoping to be noticed and rewarded for. As I found, it is easy for our attitude to drift from its initial intention. Secondly, I recommend becoming a blood or plasma donor if you aren’t already and are able. It can make such a difference in the lives of others and yours as well.
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