John Denver - Sunshine
Welcome to Monday - no matter what the time of day for you - it is late afternoon here and it is the end of a glorious day weather wise.
Sunshine, white fluffy clouds and a gentle breeze followed a very mild night. It has been delightful - getting chilly now but been so lovely. The petals from the almond tree were skipping across my feet as I stood at the clothesline.
It's been a day of tidying up and rubbish removal for us and it has been successful leaving us with a nice feeling - lunch was nice and then a quiet afternoon with a friend and I am so tired now that I will be running true to form and getting off for an early night after dinner. No idea what I shall be cooking, but an idea will come soon enough.
I have been fiddling with my beading things and John has officially dubbed it my "new hobby" - a 9 day wonder, flash in the pan or something I will really enjoy - only time will tell. I got in first and called it a UFO and denied him the pleasure of that.
Oh the bliss of washing dried in the sun - the smell is beautiful and the towels are soft and fluffy - now just have to fold them.
I came across this piece again today - it was written and published in the Reader's Digest in mid seventies and I cut it out and carried it in my purse until it fell to pieces.I have always felt this way and since my transplant it has become clear to me exactly what it involved in the selfless gift of life,
To Remember Me.
by Robert Noel Test, American Poet (1926-1994)
"The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital; busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.
When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don’t call this my deathbed. Let it be called the bed of life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.
Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face or love in the eyes of a woman.
Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain.
Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play.
Give my kidneys to the one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.
Take my bones, every muscle, every fibre and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk. Explore every corner of my brain.
Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window.
Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.
If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weakness and all prejudice against my fellow man.
Give my sins to the devil.
Give my soul to God.
If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever."
About the Author
Robert N. Test was one of the pioneers in promoting organ and tissue donations. In 1976, he wrote an essay titled "To Remember Me." It was first published in The Cincinnati Post and later in Ann Landers' column, as well as in Reader's Digest.
"The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital; busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.
When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don’t call this my deathbed. Let it be called the bed of life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.
Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face or love in the eyes of a woman.
Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain.
Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play.
Give my kidneys to the one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week.
Take my bones, every muscle, every fibre and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk. Explore every corner of my brain.
Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window.
Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow.
If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weakness and all prejudice against my fellow man.
Give my sins to the devil.
Give my soul to God.
If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever."
About the Author
Robert N. Test was one of the pioneers in promoting organ and tissue donations. In 1976, he wrote an essay titled "To Remember Me." It was first published in The Cincinnati Post and later in Ann Landers' column, as well as in Reader's Digest.
This is a shorter post than normal, but I wanted to touch base with you all and thank you for visiting, for reading and mostly for caring.
Love and hugs,
Linda.
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