A young and very successful executive was traveling down a
neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and
slowed down when he thought he saw something. A brick smashed into
the Jaguar's side door! He slammed on the brakes, spun the Jaguar
back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. He jumped
out of the car, grabbed some 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?" Building up a head of steam, he went on.
"That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost you a
lot of money. Why did you do it?"
"Please, mister, please, I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"
pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would
stop." Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around
the 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." Sobbing, the boy asked the
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 desperately to swallow the
rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young
man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and
wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was
going to be okay.
"Thank you, sir! God bless you!"
He then watched the boy push his brother down the sidewalk toward
their home. It was a long walk back to his Jaguar, a long and slow
walk.
He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him
not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at
you to get your attention.
Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes when
you don't have the time to listen, life throws a brick at your
head. It's your choice: Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait
for the brick.
