Worth It

Donating blood. It is on a lot of people list of "things to do before I die", but it was never on mine.

Never.

I am not that scared of needles, or at least no more then the average person. What freaked me out was the length of time you sit there with that darn needle shoved into your arm. That scared me the most.

But.
I gave blood this past Tuesday
Yep, you heard me right. I gave blood and I am still here to tell the tale.

It took one friend; one good friend to convince me to give.
Don't get me wrong, I held out in my stubbornness for some time. But in the end I gave in.

I was pale in fear from the moment I awoke Tuesday morning; wondering what the world I had gotten myself into the night before.
I drank water all day, and looked for reason after reason as to why I would be unable to give blood.

3:30 came. I found my friend, already busy filling out paperwork. I stood before him with shear panic on my face. I just couldn't do it.
I just couldn't.
But, much to my disappointment I passed through each step, and there I stood in that line ready (or in my case not so ready) to give away a pint of blood.

Why? Well I could rattle off a number of reason as to why I was standing in that line Tuesday. One reason: to help save lives.
I helped save a life.
I did it.
And.
It was worth it. Each and every ounce of blood was worth it. Each second the needle was stuck in my arm was worth it.