Looking out: Remember that

Remember that

BY BRANDON ASTOR JONES

"Michael's happiness is all the affirmation I need." — Jane Smith

Jane Smith, 43, is an eighth grade science teacher who lives in North Carolina. Michael Carter, 15, is one of her students. One of Michael's kidneys did not grow properly; in time, his other kidney, as well, began to regressively function poorly. In 1998, it, too, failed entirely. As a result, he was required to have dialysis treatment three times a week.

Smith remembered that before he began dialysis treatments, he "was so vibrant and full of life and excitement". She decided to give him her left kidney, even though she barely knew him. With Jane Smith's kidney inside of him, Michael Carter now has a chance to live.

Jane Smith is not one to live her life in a state of selfish apathy. She opened her eyes and heart to the pain that her student was going through. I love her courage and selfless compassion.

I encourage each of you who reads this column to open your eyes and heart to the needs of those around you. Do something good for those who can do little, or nothing, for themselves. Please try not to let your nationalism, sexism, racism, ego, vanity, ignorance or fears rob you of your true self when dealing with others.

I wrote the following poem in the sincere hope that we will increasingly see and acknowledge that, no matter whether we be rich or poor, we all need something or someone.

ASK YOURSELF TO REMEMBER THAT
our day is never long enough
to do all the good we can
to those who cannot do for themselves
what we, without even thinking, do.

ASK YOURSELF TO REMEMBER THAT
our world was meant to be just
and that the hands of pseudo-self fan
the fiery eye of selfishness, as it propels
greedy, global apathy, without even blinking.

ASK YOURSELF TO REMEMBER THAT
our people need to have trust
in one another and the Master Plan
so that Love rises higher and compels
SELF to share, without ever sinking.
ASK YOURSELF TO REMEMBER THAT.

[The writer is a prisoner on death row in the United States. He welcomes letters commenting on his columns (include your name and full return address on the envelope, or prison authorities may refuse to deliver it). He can be written to at: Brandon Astor Jones, EF-122216, G3-77, Georgia Diagnostic & Classification Prison, PO Box 3877, Jackson, GA 30233, USA, or e-mail <BrandonAstorJones@hotmail.com>. You can visit the author's web site at http://www.BrandonAstorJones.com]

From GLW issue 406