Ultimate Legacy A Person Can Leave Behind

Chiquinho Scarpa one of Brazil's richest person stunned the world when he announced that he was burying his million-dollar Bentley car so that he could lead his later life in style. Being far from reality his extravagant announcement attracted a lot of attention and was up for many a criticism. On the specified day and time standing next to the dug up pit and his vehicle, he addressed the locals and media that had gathered. “People have been condemning me because I want to bury a million dollar Bentley, in fact most people bury something more valuable than my car. People bury hearts, livers, lungs, eyes, kidneys. The healthy organs we bury could save many lives!!". I have no intention to bury the car it’s my expression to create awareness for organ donation.”

Almost all Holy Scriptures do not deny people from thinking to changing their endings to some ones beginning. In 2018 breaking religious barriers, a Hindu man donated his kidney to a Kashmiri Muslim, whose wife later donated her kidney to the Hindu donor’s wife. The awareness of organ donation in India has been slow but improving. In the year 2013 the number of transplants were 4990, this increased to 12746 in the year 2019. We seem to rank third in the world behind USA and China as per the data available on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) website. Spain has been the acknowledged leader in donations for a number of years.

The Union Health ministry has recommended state Health department’s to offer ‘cash rewards’ for organ donation. Paying cash to family of deceased for organs may not be the best idea as it might pave the way to monetizing body parts and India seems to be treading this slippery path. A better policy in India needs to be considered and simultaneously capping hospital’s charges for transplants needs to be regularized. ‘Don’t Give, Don’t Get’ is the nicknamed system in Israel on organ transplantation. They have announced non-monetary incentives, the very first year organ transplants rose by 60%.

The only place you live is in your body. Health is a consummation of a love affair of all the organs in the body. To be a worthy donor our creator’s gift needs care and attention. A quote from Gurbani helps better sense prevail on us;

“Those who implant the word of the Guru's Shabad within their hearts cut their connections with the five passions.

They keep the ten organs under their control; their souls are enlightened.

They alone acquire such stability, which God blesses with His Mercy and Grace.

Friend and foe are one and the same to them. Whatever they speak is wisdom. Whatever they hear is the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Whatever they see is meditation.

They awaken in peace and poise; they sleep in peace and poise”……… SGGS236.

Developing a state of consciousness about finding meaning in life is to be pursued. At some level you do not question “Who am I” but “Why am I here in this body”. All manner of unexpected events will occur to support you as we recognize that it is what the soul came to do. It is the soul promptings a sense of meaning and fulfilment required in one’s life.

A donor’s writing in his will reads … “the idea is not to live forever, but may be to help another live a little longer”.