Too Much of a Good Thing

I gave blood today. The American Red Cross team came to the club house here at Saddlebrooke, and dozens of seniors bared their arms for a good cause. Goodness! Do you know the questions they ask of blood donors these days? I wanted to say to the young lady, “Do people really do those things?”

Once upon a time, I was a frequent blood donor. It was easy when I served as a Chaplain with the Army Reserve. Ten years ago, I retired from the Army and it wasn’t so easy any more.

Somewhere along the line, the doctor noticed that my blood pressure was high. Not real high, you understand, just high enough to raise a red flag. He asked me an interesting question. “Did you ever consider giving blood?” It turns out that, according to the doctor, I have too much fluid in my system. He put me on a water pill called Hydrochlorothiazide. It worked, but not very well. It sent me to the little boy’s room every hour and the blood pressure was still a little high.

Then we moved to Saddlebrooke. The local paper announced that the American Red Cross was coming, and it was easy, so I gave blood in November and January and March. My blood pressure today is 112 over 80. Who needs Hydrochlorothiazide? I had trouble spelling it anyway.

You can have too much of a good thing.

I have been in worship celebrations that went too long. The people in charge actually believed that people who enjoyed 90 minutes would have the same level of appreciation after 120 minutes. Wrong. I have stood in worship music segments that were inspiring for ten minutes but tiresome after 20. I have listened to sermons that were done at 30 minutes and overcooked at 45.

There are lots of things in life which are good, but only in the right amounts. An eight ounce drink of water can be very helpful. I wouldn’t advise anyone to drink a gallon all at once. One plate of delicious food can hit the spot. Eating two plates of food can produce indigestion at bed time. Lifting weights can prove beneficial in the maintenance of upper body strength. Lifting too much weight at one time can strain muscles and injure the body. A nice chunk of milk chocolate can . . . oops. I’ll drop that one. I think Loreen is reading over my shoulder.

Anyway, I think you get the drift. There is hardly any good thing in life that can’t be ruined by overindulgence or overuse.

So, I have an appointment with the American Red Cross on May 13. I have too much blood.