This week we celebrated a big milestone at Button Central. It was the two year anniversary of Mr Button's kidney transplant. We celebrated with some together time and we thanked in a very small way, our super hero donor. We reflected, we gave thanks and we counted our many blessings.
Over the weekend, I've been thinking about Remembering (please note the capital R!). We will always remember the transplant anniversary. I think the Little Buttons will eventually remember the stories but perhaps the date and some of the details will be hazy. I know without a doubt that they will remember and thank our hero. Our closest family and some of the squillions of extended family and friends Remember. A good many friends don't because life goes on and the healthy, vital Mr Button becomes the new norm which, is kind of nice, too. What I have found quite surprising this week, is that many, many people who are not intimately connected with us, Remembered. They asked after Mr Button and his donor, they marveled at his excellent health and the changes this gift brought to our family, and they talked about organ donation.
It's not easy to share something so momentous as this. Sometimes talking about it can be difficult and feel a bit invasive. Sometimes you worry that people are tired of listening or may even be judging your choices and actions. Sometimes you want to forget about the icky stuff for a while. Then I Remembered that our talking about it has led many other people to talk about it - people who may otherwise never have discussed organ donation with their families and friends. Maybe someone will register as an organ donor because we've shared our story.
That would be grand, because, WE WILL FOREVER REMEMBER the good and great gift that our hero gave Mr Button. A gift given to one, Remembered by many.
