Life's worth.....

We had blood donation camp in our college.We,the NSS members of our college,were helping the blood bank people with all the administrative and other kind of work. I had one of the laziest and best job. Me and two-three other NSS volunteers of my class were given the job of distributing forms to the prospective blood donors to fill. We were given desks,chairs and forms to distribute. I took out the book"The glass palace" by Amitav Ghosh from my bag and started reading it.I really loved my job!!All I had to do was give the forms to those who wanted to donate blood,and most of the time I was reading(after all there were other people giving out the forms too)


This went on for quite a sometime.I completed 150 pages of my book.Some of the NSS members decided to bring donors from outside the college.They managed to bring a policeman and two other middle aged gentlemen,not older than our fathers.They were given the forms to fill. Now the forms had a lot of question in a column like format where we had to tick yes or no. There were questions like "Do u have allergy or infection?","Have you eaten breakfast?","Have you taken any medicine in the past three days?","Did you have malaria or tuberculosis in the past one year?"etc.


The policeman turned out to be healthy(quite surprising,considering he is an Indian policeman!!).Amongst the other two middle aged gentlemen,one of the gentlemen at first said that he didn't have any problems. I asked him whether he has blood pressure or any other problem.He replied in negative.Then I asked him whether he has taken any medicines in the past few days.To that he replied that he takes medicine everyday for back ache.I was in a dilemma about what to do,coz none of the college students have such problems,when one of my seniors said that he can fill the form and go into the blood donation room.Let the doctors decide whether he can give blood or not.


Then the other gentleman asked me and my friend"There is no question about brain tumour here.I've had a brain tumour operation recently".Me and my friend were quite for a second or two.Then my friend told him to tick yes in the operation column and I told him to specifically mention this problem to the doctor.He nodded and got up.


I dont know whether they were allowed to donate blood or not,because blood donation was taking place in the other room,but these two cases had me thinking.Life is so short,and youth is shorter.Youth,when we can just have a good breakfast and donate blood,when we don't take medicines everyday,when we are full of energy and vitality,will be gone before we start realising that its gone.Days are passing in such a whirlwind nowadays,amidst so many activities,


But its really important to slow down and take out time for what you want to do.Go and start visiting that orphanage or animal care centre whenever you get time,join that dance class which you always wanted to join,travel to all the places where you want to go,start trekking and exercising and doing all the other things that you always wanted to do but have kept on a hold coz you now want to shape a career for yourself.


Coz later when you have a flourishing career and lots of money,you will have kids to take care of,medicines to take,a stingy boss,demanding clients and less energy levels.You will have had lost the energy and vitality of youth......