But apart from this spiritual goal, I want parts of me to give life to others – in a very literal sense.

I speak of organ donation.

Organ Donor Card

Fifteen years ago, I signed up to donate my eyes, my liver, my pancreas, my kidneys and my heart in the event of my death. I still stand by this decision I’ve made during my adolescence. It’s a way of giving a gift of agape, a gift of life even upon my death.

I kept an organ donor card in my wallet since then. That card is always in my wallet. It fell into the waters with me one time I tried to help out stir a fishing boat (see Guro Sa Cuyo). Much of the card had shriveled up through the years, the writing fading away, the edges dilapidated.

Organ Donor Card - The gift of life

I was at a hospital one time, and I asked whether they had an organ donor card that I can use to replace this dilapidated card. They didn’t know where I could get one.

Organ Donor Card
(Keep this card with you at all times in a place where it will be found quickly)

I would like to help someone to live after my death

In the hope that I may help others, I wish to donate after my death my:

• Kidneys
• Eyes
• Liver
• Pancreas
• Heart
• Any needed parts or organs to be used for transplantation

Donor: Edwin S. Soriano
Birthdate: January 11, 1975
Date Signed: Aug 2, 1993
Address & Telephone number: (shown in original card, kept confidential online)
Next of Kin: Antonio D. Soriano

Here’s an idea for proponents of (legal) organ donation among Filipinos.
(This idea Inspired by Triumphs of the Heart, Book II by Chris Benguhe)

With all the Internet technologies available, why not create an online registry for people to sign-up for organ donation.

Upon online verification, give a digital badge to the the donors similar to the organ donor card. This badge can be placed by the donors on their blog the same way I did above.

If you believe in this idea, go ahead and make a similar declaration on your blog.
Link back to me so we could start a little organ donor registry on the net.

Here are a few links about organ donation in the Philippines.

• Organ donation FAQ
• Organ Donation Act
• National Kidney and Transplant Institute
• New AO on human organ donation, transplant to end trafficking -– DOH
• The Philippines and Organ Donation
• Philippines Ban Organ Transplant to Foreigners
• Philippine Bishops urge halt to organ trafficking
  

I’m surprised (half surprised) to find that there’s a bad case of organ trafficking in the Philippines. This article is my contribution to the positive kind of organ donation.

After a purposeful life and upon my death, let this post be a reminder to my family and loved ones that it is my will to give life after my death.

ka edong
part of me, part of you

Help More

As a child, I had the dream of saving my mother from a catastrophe. Specifically, I dreamed of carrying my mother in my arms, rescuing her from a burning house.

Helping other people has been in my heart since childhood.

I am not sure where this value came from. Possibly from being rescued by a carpenter from a dog that bit me in the face when I was 5 years old.

I remember being swiftly carried by the carpenter away from the dog. The carpenter brought me to my loving mother’s arms. My mother rushed me to my father at the hospital who then cleaned my wounded face and sutured my torn eyelid.

In my adulthood, I have translated this dream of saving my mother to “saving the world”, or in a more practical sense, to helping others.

Help others. Very basic, very pure.

I want to help others.
I want to help more.
I want to help more people.
I want to help in more ways.

Be More

From my grand images in my childhood and adolescence, I’ve carried into adulthood much of my ideals of helping others.

But now I am more balanced, acknowledging that to help others, I need to be a better person, to develop myself more. To be more!

This acknowledgement came late (just a few months ago).

Through the years, I have falsely perceived self-development as a selfish desire. This made me limit my self-development even as I KNOW that there is so much that I can grow into, to develop into.

Today, I commit to myself, to the world and to our higher being that I am my best gift to the universe!

To help more, I want to BE more!

What IS being more?

Being more is developing myself to be the best person I can be for the roles I choose in my life.

Being more means being a great son, a great sibling, a great tito/ninong, a great husband, a great father.

Being more means being a great friend, a great colleague, a great student, a great teacher, a great person.

When I Help other people, I become more. Become more whole, become more human, become a part of that person I’ve helped. As I help other people, I become more and leave a positive impact on other people.

What is the best possible life?

I look back into a reflection from my adolescence in college.

My measure of a great life is how, upon my death, people would remember me as a great man.

It may be morbid, but I feel that a person’s contribution to this world is best measured by what he leaves behind upon his death.

What shall I leave when I die?

A wonderful loving wife who always felt my love throughout our lives together and who shall have a great many happy memories to cherish for the rest of her life

Proud parents and siblings rejoicing in how their son/brother has loved them dearly

Great children who have mastered this game called life from a father, a friend, a mentor

Grateful family and friends who will forever carry with them the positive impact I made in their lives

A legacy of life lessons that will benefit other people long after I move on to my next life

What shall I do TODAY to live this purpose in my life?

I start by praising GOD for the wonderful gift he has given me: my life!

I commit myself to learning, reflection and self-development

I commit myself to sharing my life to make a positive impact on people I am blessed to have moments with in this lifetime

Edwin’s Purpose in Life is
To Help More, Thus Be More