tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-921971826505373965.post242260777330687326..comments2023-09-26T04:50:53.501-04:00Comments on Live Laugh Lungs: People's number 1 FeaRLive Laugh Lungshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14794653870687841789noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-921971826505373965.post-6540027026313779402013-05-14T09:06:35.693-04:002013-05-14T09:06:35.693-04:00Thanks, you are so right. And I do love it; love s...Thanks, you are so right. And I do love it; love sharing my story. We have important stuff to say and hopefully influence some people to consider organ donation.Live Laugh Lungshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794653870687841789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-921971826505373965.post-18571888683483710422013-05-14T09:04:01.548-04:002013-05-14T09:04:01.548-04:00Thanks!Thanks!Live Laugh Lungshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794653870687841789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-921971826505373965.post-85198870290298523612013-05-13T09:11:47.525-04:002013-05-13T09:11:47.525-04:00Hey You!!!
I'm so proud of you!!! Fer real!!...Hey You!!!<br /><br />I'm so proud of you!!! Fer real!!!<br /><br />And I know everything you're talking about - all of my life, the LAST thing I would want to do is get up and speak to a group... Even a group of friends. But this is different - we've been given a gift - our life has been saved - and it seems to me that telling whomever we can, and in explaining the magnificence and specialness of this gift, we're vicariously thanking the person and family who gave it to us through our audience - and they can feel that!<br /><br />I'm still nervous - that will never go away for me - but before I knew Kari, and after, when I'm up there telling a group about what she gave me, the passion takes over...<br /><br />I did learn a "trick" that I find works well, whether you're addressing 2 people or 2,000 people. Instead of worrying about anyone naked, or worrying about what you're saying or how you're saying it - you just let yourself know that you are about to tell these people something they desperately want to know - you are about to let them in on a bit of knowledge that they have been waiting a long time to hear - that they need to know! And it's not a lie - it's not really a "trick" - when I'm talking to medical people, I'm taking the opportunity to tell them what they DO for people! When I'm speaking to OPO people - I'm showing them the results of the gifts they've aided in delivering to people like me! When I'm talking to groups like the Lions or just the general public - I'm showing them pure goodness in their fellow man - I'm showing them an amazing legacy... And for a group like the Lions - I'm passionately describing tissue donation and the gift of sight - about how, after 15 years of blindness, a person is able to gaze into the face of their spouse - or maybe see the face of a toddler grandchild for the first time ever!!!<br /><br />You work yourself up into a "HOLY MOLY, HAVE I GOT SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!!!" moment!!!<br /><br />One of the first times I got to speak was about a year after my transplant, at a donor remembrance candle lighting ceremony that I had missed the year before... I started that talk with a little bitterness about missing last year's ceremony - and explained that I'd written a little letter to the party that CAUSED me to miss this beautiful ceremony - and that letter started, "Dear Donor Family..." I think that little talk lit a passion in my soul for doing this - for keeping my donor alive in my heart, and for honoring her and her family... I think you'll do the same...<br /><br />There's a passion also for people like you, waiting, or who were waiting - when I take the podium, your face and personality, and dozens of faces I know, flash across my mind. We never know who we are going to influence, or how we are going to influence them - with every interaction in our lives...<br /><br />You take care, Jess... I'm proud of you. Love, Steve<br /><br />BreathinStevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425167024998690437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-921971826505373965.post-70507691877893168672013-05-10T19:33:04.842-04:002013-05-10T19:33:04.842-04:00Born talkin' you were! I'm sure you had th...Born talkin' you were! I'm sure you had the group in stitches even if yours have all been removed long ago! Well done and keep spreadin' the word!Pjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18393555684207764434noreply@blogger.com