This doesn't happen all that often, but I did something the other day that I'd never done before: I donated a pint of my blood to the American Red Cross. When I first noticed the posters for the blood drive to be held the day after Christmas I got to thinking what a great gift that would make to some deserving soul. I wouldn't even have to wrap it. Besides, I've been meaning to repay that couple of units of blood that I received many years ago when I was hospitalized.

There seemed no better time than now, so I phoned coordinator Betty Palmer and made an appointment right away, before the feeling had the chance to wane. I'll admit that every time I glanced at the sticky note I placed at my computer to help me to remember my date I felt a little pang of excitement for the event.

Blood letting day finally arrived and I walked into the church hall, which resembled more a setting for a M.A.S.H. television episode than a fellowship room, with gurneys set up in a makeshift E.R. and portable screens down the side of the room. 

I was greeted by a friendly volunteer who didn't even get flustered when I told her it was my first time. I almost expected confetti and balloons to fall from the ceiling but they didn't. Perhaps later when I'm finished, I thought to myself.

Before long it was my turn to enter into the makeshift privacy cubicle where my name, rank and serial number were gathered and entered into a computer, as well as other pertinent bits of data that would be needed. 

And there was also a pre-blood-letting stick to my middle finger to determine if I had a high enough hemoglobin level. This, I thought is it. I'm surely not going to test anywhere near the required 12 needed to join the few, the proud, the donors.....but hallelujah, I scored well over 13 in that area.

So far I had managed to pass each trial presented me with flying colors.....but at any moment I just knew I could be disqualified for a minor infraction...then I was asked to answer a few more vital, personal health questions and was left alone in the privacy of the "office" with the computer in front of me to complete the final quiz.

I must have passed that as well because before long, Gabe, a nice young phlebotomist, took over and ushered me to a nice comfy gurney where he gave me a rubber ball. Since it was my first time as a victim - I mean donor- I was told I should lie down flat on the table.  

"Just roll and squeeze the ball," he said. If there's one thing I know, it's how to follow directions, so I did just as he said. A few exploratory jabs in search of my elusive blood vein later, Gabe hit a gusher, much to both our delight. I was completely incredulous of the sight of that precious blood quickly filling up the pint-sized bag hanging from the gurney. In 9 minutes and a few seconds flat I was finished.

As I laid my hand gently on that warm, little red pillow filled with my very own blood, I couldn't help but shake my head in amazement.

The process of blood letting, or donation, has flown light years into future in my perception. It was probably 30 years ago that I tried to last donate blood, unsuccessfully, and at that time, there were no computers, no bar code scanners, no electronically device to alert the technician that the needle isn't inserted correctly. Things may have been simpler back then but technological advances have evolved through the years.

Did you know that the Red Cross first developed its lifesaving blood supplies of 13.3 million pints of blood plasma for armed forces use during World War II. After the war ended it introduced the first nation wide civilian blood program and today, collects 6.5 million units of blood from about 4 milllion donors all over the country annually.

Giving blood is serious business. The Red Cross touts that one pint of blood can save up to three lives. The stakes are too high for anything less, and yet it remains one of the simplest acts that we as humans can perform.

As I left the church hall a pint of blood lighter, I didn't even feel light headed or the slightest bit empty. Rather, I couldn't help but feel fuller in the area of my heart, as I thought about the experience I'd just had and the lives that may be touched with my simple little gift.