She is always there, a few papers in front of her and a table stocked with a variety of nibbles laid out in front of her, each individually wrapped and presented for the taking. She is there to offer the goodies to those who have donated blood and book them for their next donation appointment. That may be her role, but her purpose is bigger. Life is often like that.

“How long have you been a volunteer?” I asked. “Every time I donate, you’re sitting right there,” I added with a smile.  The Gulf Coast Blood Center sets up shop monthly at a local church and folks from around town arrive for their donation appointments. I struck up the conversation while waiting for the next chair to open up.

She grinned. “Oh, about 25 years,” she said, before sharing her personal timeline that helped her better pinpoint when the volunteering started. “So, when I came back here, I thought I could volunteer,” she said. She was born in Huntsville, went to Houston after college and became a nurse, worked at St. Joseph Hospital (historic in Houston) and, after retirement, “came back” to take care of her ailing dad.

Before she could get much deeper into her story, I was called away to the now-open chair where the phlebotomists could do their jobs.

On the way out, after donating, I stopped again at her table, where she was chatting in her quiet, friendly way with another who had just given blood. We set an appointment for my next donation, and I thanked her for sharing her story. I imagine that she will be in her chair at the table, wearing the red top that identifies her as a Blood Center volunteer, when I return in March. She will chat with the donors, commiserate with the staff, make sure folks get the water and snacks that they want, and book appointments for future donations. Those things matter. More importantly, she will be a gentle smile, a softly-spoken conversation, an un-rushed time of connection amidst a flurry of activity as staff members move from chair to chair in a choreography of attending to the many who are donating. Whether that is written in the description of her role, it is clear that it is a purpose she fulfils perfectly.  

She is a symbol of the generosity of giving time, which is the most important thing anyone can give because it, unlike blood, cannot be replaced.