The Brick

[Charles L. Cotton]

I've never done this before, but this email I received really struck home during this incredibly busy and hectic season. The legislative session is busier than normal because we have to get things done before redistricting and the remainder of the budget bill (HB1) pushes everything else to the back of the line. I've got a number of other things eating up time, including the Texas Firearms Coalition that will be getting very busy when the legislative session is over.

This email was very timely for me and I suspect for many.

Chas.

A young and successful
executive was traveling down a neighborhood street,
going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was
watching for kids darting out from between parked
cars and slowed down


then he thought he saw
something. As his car passed, no children appeared.
Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!
He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to
the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry
driver then jumped out of the
car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up
against a parked car shouting,

'What was that all about and who are you? Just what
the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that
brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why
did you do it?' The young boy was apologetic.
'Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't
know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the
brick because no one else would stop...' With tears
dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth
pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my
brother, 'he said 'He rolled off the curb and fell
out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him
up.'

Now sobbing, the boy
asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help
me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and
he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words,
the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling
lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the
handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took
out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh
scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything
was going to be okay. 'Thank you and may God bless
you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too
shook up for words, the man simply watch ed the boy!
push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk
toward their home

It was a long, slow
walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very
noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair
the dented side door. He kept the dent there to
remind him of this message : 'Don't go through life
so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to
get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and
speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have
time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's
our choice to listen or
not.

Thought for the
Day :

If God had a
refrigerator, your picture would be on
it.

If He had a wallet,
your photo would be in
it.

He sends you flowers
every spring.

He sends you a sunrise
every morning Face it, friend - He is crazy about
you!


God didn't promise
days without pain, laughter without sorrow,sun
without rain, but He did promise strength for the
day, comfort for the tears, and light for the
way.


If God brings you to
it, He will bring you through
it.

[Keith B]

Pretty deep and thought provoking for me too Charles. Thanks for posting.

[rbftfire]

Very touching story and a very good point. More often than not, I think that the metaphor is right on for me and definitely something I need to work on.

[Purplehood]

I must be obtuse. I was getting ready to do an analysis of how the Driver handled the situation.

[jimlongley]

More years ago than I care to think about (1959), my grandfather, a 1902 graduate of the USMA and First Captain of the Corps, and Executive Vice President of International Pipe and Ceramics, was on his way to the hospital to visit my grandmother who was dying of multiple cancers.

Near the front door of the hospital he stumbled and fell over a curb, breaking his ankle and suffering several cuts and bruises. He was wearing a three piece suit, to him "casual" meant jacket off, vest on, tie slightly loosened but not askew.

He rolled into the gutter and lay there in agony with his foot twisted around, for about 15 minutes while foot traffic skirted around him and one ambulance passed on the way into the emergency entrance. Finally someone stopped and eventually got others to help and he was taken inside and treated.

Would that I had been there with a brick, even all these years later it still rankles.

[carlson1]

Thanks for posting.

[RPBrown]

This post should make us all step back and take notice of what is really impotant.

Thank you Charles

[texanron]

I struggle everyday with trying not to get caught up in the ways of this world.

Thanks for the thought provoking post Charles.

[carlson1]

I re- read this for about the fifth time. There. Is something to catch every time you read it.