The Nap I'll Never Forget

Ah, the nap I’ll never forget…the day dawned bright and sunny in northern California. I was on vacation with my family visiting some amazing friends that we’ve known since I was five years old. Most of us had already enjoyed an invigorating workout with our beloved “Drill Instructor”---my dad. The plans for that sunny day were set: movie making, swimming, eating, and fun all around…but first we had a mission.

All of us who set out to accomplish the mission, climbed into the Pilot. Three of us and four of them, seven in all, made the journey into town. We made it to our destination in no time---the Blood Source. I had never been a blood donor before, but I did my best to remain fearless. Sitting in the little waiting room off to the side, the nurses called us back one by one. My turn came. Here goes nothing…or everything!

Things went smoothly as the nurses got things going. I didn’t even feel a hint of dizziness and I wasn’t queasy at all. Less then ten minutes passed and I was all done and good to go. Sitting with two of my friends and my brother and sister, I drank some orange juice and snacked on a granola bar and some gold fish. All was well, until…

A wave of exhaustion swept over me and my body felt like it weighed a million pounds. I debated within my mind if I should tell someone I wasn’t feeling too great. After sifting through the pros and cons, I leaned over to my friend Emily and warned her I wasn’t feeling right. She tried to get me to explain myself and tell her my symptoms, but all I could do was smile before I was out. From this point on, my friends and family had to fill me in on the rest of the story because as far as I was concerned, I was in dreamland.

So here is what they tell me happened…Emily called my name and tried to get me to respond but to no avail. She wanted to get me on the floor, so she turned to her sister who was sitting to her other side and told her to get help. So just imagine, I am in a chair passed out, Emily is trying to wake me up, Sarah called for her mom, Luke is waving for help, and Bethany is sitting stone still, afraid I was going to die. Through it all, I was completely calm, enjoying one of the best naps ever.

Finally, one of the nurses came over and my great sleep was interrupted. They lowered me down on the floor and placed a cool cloth on my forehead. I think I was puzzled at first to find Emily sitting on the floor next to me, but then it all came back to me…and then the most awful thing happened. I began laughing uncontrollably and I couldn’t stop myself. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Moreover, it was the most high, silly laugh ever---but what was I to do about it? I recovered from that experience with little to show for it. I did get a whole pint of ice cream out of the whole ordeal. Nevertheless, I must say, I think I will take much more away from my first experience as a blood donor then what meets the eye.

Yes, I would sum it up by saying never be afraid to do new things that stretch you and might even scare you because a great nap might be right around the corner. And after the nap, you’ll have a great story to tell years to come.

So that is my story about the nap I will never forget---funny, silly, and perhaps pointless but still ordained by God before the foundations of the earth. God is amazing that He sends interesting experiences into our lives to make us laugh and who knows why else he does it---He knows.

A glimpse at four of the courageous ones