Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and 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 will have to give his sister all his blood in order to save her, but he had chosen to save her anyway.

Very few have the heart and the courage to give everything when it really matters. 

Give more than what the other expects and do it cheerfully.

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” — Albert Einstein

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” — Mary Angelou 

 

There are two things we must forget: the help we have rendered to others and the harm others have done to us. If we remember the help we have rendered, we will always expect something in return. Remembrance of the harm done to us by others generates in us a sense of revenge. We should remember only the help we received from others. The one with these sacred qualities is an ideal human being.

“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.” — Unknown  

“If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.” — Bob Hope