This morning at the station there was a blood drive held. They do that every so often, and I always forgot when they did because the last one was held before I switched to day shifts on Fridays and Saturdays. If I had had more forethought, I would have remembered to take a camera with me to mark the event.
Anyway, I got a new long sleeve t-shirt and a delicious chocolate cookie. This is not why I donated. In fact, I'd forgotten that part of it too. I used to give blood regularly and had gotten out of it, because the person I used to do it with (one of the Sgts) would take me on-duty to the donation site (not our station at the time) to donate. That was usually on a Monday evening. But he went to day shifts on Mondays and I had no more chauffeur (or authorizing person) to give me the time to go and donate on-duty. I have donated off duty before, but I tend to forget it most when it is left up to me to remember when and where. So it works out well that they are having them at the station on Fridays now, although I think they have had them there other days too. It has been quite some time since the last one was held there, I think. Maybe back last fall.
I can never definitively remember my blood type when I go a long time without giving it. They didn't tell me what it is, but I normally get something in the mail thanking me and informing me of my type. I think I have a card in my wallet that says what type I am do, but I never bother to look at it. I figure if I need blood at some point in my life, my wallet won't be far from me and they can see what type I would need for a transfusion. I think it is O positive, which I have been mistakenly believing to be one of the universal donor types, but it seems that would be O negative. Then again, maybe I am O negative. I'm sure I'll know again soon. I must have been asleep in biology class years ago the day the professor explained all that. I do remember that professor (I think his name was Robert Caben...something like that) because he tried me to convince me to switch my major to biology. I got an A in his class. :) He had me come to his office one day to discuss my paper (i have no idea now what it was on). I thought I was in trouble, or that he thought I'd plagarized or something because he didn't tell me why he wanted to talk about it. I knew I hadn't don't any such thing, of course, but that's what through my mind. I remember when he asked me if I had already declared a major and he said I did and it was right after I had declared Spanish as my major. He said it was a shame, since I showed significant promise in my paper to do well in the sciences. I thought, but didn't say, that it would have been like choosing Math as my major....BLAHHHHH! I just could not and still cannot ever imagine having ANY passion for such a career. Even though I have not and probably won't use my major for anything work-related, I don't regret having followed it. I still love language and I do get the occasional caller needing someone to speak Spanish with them. And, I still love literature. I just seem not to be cut out to do the whole research/writing part of it. It is a shame, though, because I have had several professors tell me that I write well.
How do you develop a passion for something you've never had one for? It seems to me that the passion to write is a personal taste that was somehow part of you when you were born, part of your unique personality. For instance, why do I prefer red and pink over other colors, especially red, while others prefer blue or black or some other color? I supposed to SOME extent I do have it. I mean, why else write this blog or a poem here and there? And I enjoy the feeling I get when I think I have done a good piece of writing on a research paper. But, I kind of think the attraction is more what kudos I might receive for it rather than any pleasure in its production. Then again, maybe I am just not at the point in my life where I derive pleasure from the act of writing and it that that pleasure may come when I am more "grown up". I suspect not though. If my writing style and ability to write well is as enjoyable and skillful as I have been given to believe by those who have read it, it seems such a terrible talent to waste. But how to do you become passionate for something you aren't. To me, it feels fake, like trying to feel passionate about Math. It just ain't happenin' folks!
Then that makes me wonder, what it is I AM passionate about. I guess I would have to say that my passion is to help others, to facilitate them being able to get ahead or get over some hurdle. Maybe that is why I landed in the kind of work I do. I do know I get the best feeling when someone I help reaches some goal or overcomes some obstacle. And it isn't just the kudos I get in their thanks, it is a warm feeling I get knowing I was instrumental (as minute as my influence might have been) in that person moving closer to where they want to be in their personal development. I truly enjoy helping others and seeing them achieve with my help. So, not being an accomplished writer or celebrated teacher or dispatcher of the year really doesn't matter much to me, when it is the help I render in and of itself that fills me with passion.
I suppose, in a small way, that is why I make a point to donate blood too. It helps and it is something I can do with regularity that does. That makes it appealing to me and it is my purpose for doing it. Knowing that that pint of my blood might just help save a life, is a revitalizing feeling to me.
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