Sharing Lives
Sharing lives is at the heart of our human experience. This reality is unfolding today as my friend Tim embarks on a transformative journey, fueled by an altruistic act of unparalleled compassion by Beth. As a living liver donor, she is sharing a part of her liver with him and literally giving Tim a new lease on life.
Beth’s choice springs from the well of generosity. She yearns to give someone, like Tim, more days to live. She honors her mother’s memory with this act, reminding herself and all of us about the preciousness of time and the profound impact one person can have on another’s life. “My mother taught me generosity of spirit through her deeds and actions. It carries on through mine. I am humbled and honored to be able to make an impact on someone’s life, especially someone who is using his life to help save the lives of others.”
Tim’s surgery starts at the crack of dawn. As most of us start our day, he embarks on a life-changing journey. When he wakes up the next day, he’ll carry a piece of Beth inside him. This piece will grow and regenerate, a symbol of the unending cycle of life and connection.
Tim has a unique talent for building purposeful communities and has always been a pioneer. And after he heals, he will take his vision of creating sharemyliver.com, a platform that helps others find a living donor, to new heights. Beth’s gift does more than help Tim. It amplifies his ability to connect more people. And will ultimately, save and enrich many more lives.
The Regeneration Journey
Life, by its very essence, is a constant dance of change. Just as the seasons shift, so do we. We flow and evolve, continuously interacting with one another.
As Beth and Tim start on this journey together, many of us hold our breaths, hoping for the best. We send heartfelt wishes for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Health is everything and connections are foundational as we lift each other up in the new world that we are co-creating through our conscious actions.
This is a powerful testament to human connection. It reminds us that we’re always interacting, connecting, and sometimes disconnecting when people and situations are unhealthy. But when we connect with purpose and meaning, we make a huge difference, even save lives.
This journey is living proof that when we transform problems into opportunities, we create what we need and serve a great community. And while so many of us are grateful for Beth’s courage, she is grateful for this opportunity. So we never know where life leads but this is our time to step into our power and live from our hearts.
We can take inspiration from their courage and determination. Because in the ever-changing dance of life, it’s our connections, actions, and generosity that truly define us.
Creating Heart-Centered Community: Giving and Receiving
Jiddu Krishnamurti puts it eloquently: ‘The world lies within us, and the power to change is in our hands. Only we can unlock the door to our potential.’
Tim embodies this truth. He sought alternatives, taking actions that benefited not only himself but the broader community. Beth, in turn, stepped forward, offering the ultimate gift to someone who once was a stranger.
Pioneering doctors like Dr. Roberto Hernandez Alejandro and his exceptional team at URMC make such acts of generosity possible. UR Medicine, the only liver transplant hospital in upstate New York and the only living donor transplant program, reports outcomes among the nation’s best.
As the day unfolds, I’ll anxiously await today’s news and continue to take action to usher in a healthy era for all of us. This is the essence of sharing lives, trekking into the unknown and navigating the dance of change.