Sunday, March 1, 2009

Vagabondism #36

36 Each person has one grand life story to be learned, and once learned, must be told.

2 comments:

krissy knox said...

I so believe this. John and I were discussing this today. Sometimes he wonders what his story is, as he feels he doesn't have a lot to offer b/c he hasn't been able to work, in the traditional sense, for about 10 years now. I told him that was nonsence, that he had a lot to offer, and that he had a story to tell, just like everyone else.

Suddenly I paused, looking for something to brace myself again, while walking down the sidewalk today, while talking to John about this subject, b/c I think his story came to me. He influence 300 or so people to give blood. He inspired them to do so, while going thru his two cancers, bone marrow transplant, kidney failure, and hemolytic anemia (where he had to have over 100 transfusions).

What I am trying to say is, about a year and a half ago, about 300 people gave blood. And some continue. So there were 300 units -- bags -- of blood given in a very short period of time. I have the number recorded. It was a few short months. They were jlanders, their families, and their churches. Okay, so like, they couldn't give it directly to John, but his fight so inspired them, he was so inspirational, that the bloggers gave their blood to blood banks around the country, even though it wasn't going directly to John (but they did do it in his name). It was their "pay it forward" kind of thing, something they wanted to do to help him, even though it would go to others, and he wouldn't get it, and neither would he. But they knew somebody would get helped. So I read that if you are in a car accident you need 5 units of blood to have your life saved on average. Somewhere between 1 and 300 lives were saved. I am imagining 60 lives were saved bc of John's inspirational fight, and these precious people...

I also imagine that these people "paid it forward", bc they obviously couldn't pay it back to the donors of the blood. They will never know who they were, nor will they know John, unless they meet in heaven. I bet each of these who have been able to live a life now are "paying it forward" by doing great things in their lives for others, and who knows how they are influencing those around them. All b/c someone allowed himself/herself to be moved to do something great. And so on, and so on, an unbroken chain of paying it forward.

And so that is John's legacy -- inspiring people, and keeping others alive physically and perhaps spiritually and in many other ways -- some ways known only to God, and perhaps will be known to us some day if He so chooses to tell those involved in the whole puzzle!

I'm just saying you never know what influence you have on people until you really sit down and think about what your "grand life story" really is!

Thanks for a great post, DB!

krissy knox :)
my main blog: Sometimes I Think
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I am an actor and broadcaster. I am grateful to have spent my life in the arts. Now I also write and paint. I am humbly trying to overcome selfishness, it's effects and regrets. I read history, philosophy, psychology and religion. My desire is to share what I have with the world while trying to make sense of a difficult life and enjoying the journey, no rituals, no rules, no summations.