Love Thursday: March 20, 2008

“It is easy to halve the potato where there is love.”

 -- Irish saying

* * * * * * *

I came across the saying above while looking for a quote for Love Thursday that was specifically (a) about love, and (b) Irish in origin, what with it being the week of St. Patrick's Day and all.  My first reaction when I read it was to giggle:  to be honest, I can't say that I love potatoes so much that it would that difficult to halve them with anyone; but yeah, I get the point. 

Then I started thinking about it a little more.  And I realized that it speaks to me in more ways than I first thought.

Recently, a friend of mine who is in the hospital awaiting a bone marrow transplant asked me to register with the National Bone Marrow Registry.  It turns out that it is very difficult to find a match for those of us who are from the Caribbean, because many of us are multiracial; so she asked if I would go ahead and register.  While the entire concept of undergoing surgery to donate marrow sort of freaks me out, I agreed to do it without hesitation:  after all, it is easy to halve the potato when there is love, right?

I registered online, and within a week or so, the swab kit arrived at my home.  I did the test and returned the swabs to the mailbox within 10 minutes, before I thought about it too much -- after all, this is to help a friend.  But of course, since doing so, it's been on my mind a lot:  since  there's no way to specify for whom I'd be willing to be a donor, the truth is the phone could ring at any time, telling me that I'm a match for a total stranger in need.

Though I'm not proud of it, it scares me even more that I may be called to undergo surgery to help someone I don't know.  However, the truth is I'm not sure that I could possibly say no, you know?  So as I ponder the Irish saying above, I realize that for me, there's really a lesson to be learned:

It is easy to halve the potato when there is love -- the trick, I guess, is to love broadly enough so that halving the potato just becomes second nature.

* * * * * * *

Happy Love Thursday, everyone.  Please leave your links of love in the comments section, below -- and for inspiration, check out the great work left by Mrs. Eaves, Justmeagain2006,  and essaydoctor1 in our Shutter Sisters Flickr pool.

 And, at the risk of running this metaphor into the ground:  may you always find it easy to halve your potato. ;-)

Comments

[Stephanie]

For this Love Thursday, I decided to post photos I took this week of my brother and his soon to be fiance'. Although they have been together for 3 years, they still have that oooey-gooey new love thang goin on.
Here they are:
http://slsmithphotgraphy.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/ahhhhyoung-love.html

[Lawyer Mama]

Loving broadly is a great concept!

http://flickr.com/photos/lawyermama/2344895982/

http://flickr.com/photos/lawyermama/2315393279/in/set-72157603643073069/

[Milla]

Thank you for your honest thoughts! I have also wondered what I would do for a complete stranger.

For love Thursday I chose a picture shot of my friends. I love this capture of unplanned, natural looks of laughter and love.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/millachappell/2346208055/in/pool-shuttersisters

[Angella]

My husband surprised me and took the camera from me while we were on vacation. He took about 50 photos of me, which was the greatest gift of love.

Here is one of them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ourcrazylife/2341773019/

[stacelet]

You're doing a wonderful thing. That would be a very broad love...

My contribution this week is a photo from last week, my husband and I took a vacation and relaxed together and connected. It was a lovely time, a necesary time...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stacelet/2337167376/

[cotterpin]

The posted picture is from this past October, during my first wedding anniversary get-away - we were on Mackinac Island, and I was busy stopping our bikes every two feet to try out the new camera my husband had given me. I'm sure the couple who rode by thought I was a bit crazy- but they really helped make my shot more meaningful!

http://cotterpinhouse.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/no-news-is-good-news/

[Nancy R]

Love Is Respecting The Mama

[Nancy R]

DURRR...

http://worldwiderolves.blogspot.com/2008/03/love-is-respecting-mama.html

Can someone explain how the link to my own site option (as opposed to the leave a comment option) works? I just get a white screen when I try it.

[Christine]

What a great thing to do Karen. It is scary to think about, but you are doing such a wonderful thing.

Happy Love Thursday!

http://www.thebeanblog.com/2008/03/19/love-thursday-march-20-2008/

[Erin]

I couldn't decide between my girls or my husband and our first daughter (before #2). Here goes.

http://leitheadfamily.blogspot.com/2008/03/love-thursday.html

[maile]

Karen, what a beatiful post. I love and admire your honesty here. And what a huge inspiration you are. Thank you for this.

[shaz]

karen, as always, wow, you are very inspirational.

http://www.adventures-in-motherhood.com/article/comments/life-sucks-and-then-you-die/

[AllisonK]

The perfect post for my thought today. Thank you.

[Hay]

Lovely post and great clover macro!

[Ane]

http://bilderurlivet.rular.se/blogg/lovethursday.html

Love is all I need.

[Jessan]

Beautiful photography! Like the color and the shades very much=)
And I like the idea of Love Thursdays!
Mines up now.
http://jessan.se/2008/03/20/love-thursday-3/

[Cherrye]

Wow. I know how you feel and I would be afraid, too. Let's hope you don't have to be in any scary situations soon.

My post is about palm leaves for Palm Sunday Mass in Italy.

http://my-bella-vita.blogspot.com/2008/03/heart-palm-leaves-make-heart-happy.html

[bleeding espresso]

What a wonderfully honest, pure post. Thank you for sharing this.

My post this week shows love on a cactus. Ouch!

http://bleedingespresso.com/2008/03/love-thursday-love-notes-on-a-cactus.html

or

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13029497@N00/2337451483/

[Conchi]

I love my cat

http://miterrazaalmundo.blogspot.com/2008/03/isi-modelo.html
o
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24425346@N02/2347432096/

[Jo]

We had good weather yesterday and took our little potato out for a walk. There were heart-shaped leaves everywhere so of course I was thinking of LT.

http://roobyred.typepad.com/thesmileonadog/2008/03/love-thursday-2.html

[Simplyjen]

Just a shot of a family I enjoyed watching when in Paris.

http://simplyjen.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/happy-love-thursday/

[mel from freak parade]

I don't even know you, yet I have no doubt you will love broadly enough if you get that call.

This week, I am loving my Queen of the Mountain.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/muckyyuck/2346709817/

[Elspeth]

Reading about the potato I thought of this potato a friend gave me: http://nowiswow.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-are-what-you-eat.html
I didn't share it, though. I ate all of it for dinner ... but I think that's a great saying and a very brave thing you did for your friend (known or unknown).

[Bipolarlawyercook]

I can't believe I forgot it was Thursday last week. Here's mine for this week.
http://bipolarlawyercook.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/love-thursday-4/

[Shelli]

You are a very loving person to sign up for the donation, whether or not you decide to go through with it. It's a very wonderful thing to do. Honestly, I don't think I could do it myself.

For Love Thursday, I'm contributing this:
http://www.mamaofletters.com/Mama_of_Letters/Camera_Happy.html#10

Do you think the spider loves this flower as much as I do? Maybe not. But something about finding him nestled within its petals made my heart sing. (And I usually hate spiders!)

[Rebecca]

http://rebeccasmith78.blogspot.com/2008/02/much-love-to-all-of-you.html

The love of beautiful little feet

[Mrs. Eaves]

Thanks for the linky love, ladies!
One of my best friends is getting married on Saturday, so this week is all about love! The picture below, though, is all about girly friendship:

http://camerashy.atomictumor.com/friends-since-preschool/

Happy Love Thursday, everyone!

[Jen - Beebee Mod]

It is amazing what one does for a complete stranger. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23177175@N05/2346853141/

[Amanda]

Wow - what a wonderful gift of love. Thank you for your selflessness and your honest humanity. It's hard to be brave, and even harder to admit your fears.

Here's my love thursday ...
http://amandasfavoritethings.blogspot.com/2008/03/love-thursday-sisters-too.html

[Marcie]

Just a mom and her cubs.

http://marciescudder.blogspot.com/2007/06/babes-in-woods_17.html

[Green Eyed Girl]

http://greeneyedgirl22.blogspot.com/2008/03/love-thursday_20.html

Love the picture and the post. Your are such a brave and loving soul to sign up for that. Bless you!

[kellypea]

I have a small pink dot on my driver's license that identifies me as a donor. But I've not thought of the idea from your perspective.

Today, I'm thinking of my mother, lavender, and peace of mind.

http://kellementology.com/2008/03/20/lavender-and-peace-of-mind/

[natala]

go and love today :)

http://atheart.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/painted-love/

and on flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/atheart/2346878099/

[kristin]

great post and brings contemplation, do i love broadly enough? something to strive for. happy love thursday everyone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2324125943/

[nicky thomas]

happy love thursday folks

Here is some sisterly love. The irish connection ? well my nan is irish... does that count?!

i hope you like the photo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickythomasphotography/2343200627/


nicky xxxx

[Busymomma66]

I just heard the other day that they are looking/doing a new procedure to harvest the marrow from people that is not nearly as painful.

[Andie]

Here is mine for the week: http://wifemotherpainter.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/03/love-thursday-a.html

Did the spring thing.
a.

[Tracie]

I got on the registry about 14 years ago when my brother was in need of a match. My sweet boyfriend at the time (he's now my husband of almost 11 years) heard about a donor drive and invited me to go with him. I would gladly welcome the call to help someone as someone so selflessly helped my brother. Sadly he did not have a happy ending, but it did not diminish my desire to be not only a bone marrow donor, but someday, an organ and tissue donor. It's a valuable gift!

[Shawna]

I'm on the unrelated bone marrow donor registry up here in Canada and I wanted to say how wonderful it is that you registered! It's such a great thing, to be able to save a life, that even though the procedure can be scary, I think it's so worth it.

And it sounds as though your experience with registration was much easier than mine. At the time I registered (though I don't know what the process here is now), you had to go to an evening information session, then book a blood draw during business hours just to get on the registry. An at-home swab kit would have been awesome!

[The Lisa Show]

This is a photo I took of my granduncle and grandaunt. They've been together for 50 years now and the way they look at each other still... it just melts my heart.

http://www.thelisashow.com/2008/03/too-sexy-for-my-shirt-so-sexy-it-hurts.html

(Excuse the title. I was sick then.)

[cuzamora]

http://fabulousflyingzamoras.blogspot.com/2008/03/for-love-thursday-of.html

It's all about a little boys loves in our house. Happy Love Thursday.

[I Must Confess]

It's not an easy procedure to undergo. It's very nice of you to do it. Have you read My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult? It's a great story about donation and bone marrow stuff.

My LT is at http://mommyreads.com/?p=28

[Anali]

I don't have a post to link today, but I love that saying. It really is quite powerful when you think about it. Happy Love Thursday!

[Elizabeth]

I can imagine what a difficult decision it would be if a sacrifice like that could help a stranger. If I were ever faced with that, I hope that I would think about how we are all members of one human family, and remember to follow the golden rule.

My Love Thursday contribution:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/esabet/2331597081/in/set-72157604115135213/

[O]

Wow...I'm blown away by what you wrote. I love it. I admit I'd be scared too. Fear has run much of my life and I'm trying to get out of that bondage...finally after 40 years on this earth. There are so many things I want for my life but fear stands in the way. But love is greater than fear. I love what you wrote, "the trick, I guess, is to love broadly enough so that halving the potato just becomes second nature". Isn't that the truth? Love this too: "may you always find it easy to halve your potato". It should be a bumper sticker or something. Or a required footnote to that original Irish saying. ;) Thanks for this site and all you do.

[Tanya]

At my niece's birthday party, my dad got to hold the baby brother of one of her little friends. The little boy looked so precious in my dad's arms.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanyamills/2347155509/

[melody]

Love the shot, love the inspiring words.

Mine is within this post:

http://slurpinglife.typepad.com/slurping_life/2008/03/self-and-loving.html

[Shalet]

What a wonderful sentiment and oh my what a gorgeous photo!

Here is my contribution:

http://peculiarmomma.blogspot.com/2008/03/love-thursday.html

[Janet]

What a good friend and person you are to register!

This is my first week here:

http://fondofsnape.com/?p=1598

[Karen G]

Beautiful photo and a wonderful thing to do.

Happy love thursday!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23132596@N07/2348143974/