I once heard a story about a young and successful executive who was traveling down a neighborhood street on the way to a meeting he was late for. Frustrated, he drove his newly purchased jaguar too fast through the neighborhood, while on the phone with his secretary trying to get the correct directions to his meeting. His aggravation was escalated knowing now he would be significantly late to his meeting. Oblivious to anything going around him, he never noticed the boys on a corner lot a few yards ahead. As his car passed the location where the boys were standing, their movement caught his peripheral view, he thought it necessary to slow down making sure it was safe to continue forward. About that time he saw a large red brick flying in the air, it smashed right into the side of his Jaguar door. Completely shocked at what just happened, he slammed on the brakes and backed up the car to the spot where he first heard the thump. The now furious driver jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid, lifting him up by his collar he pushed him against a parked car and started shouting, "Who just threw that brick at my car? Do you see the dent made? You think it's funny? That's a brand new car and that brick is going to cost you and your hoodlum friends a lot of money to fix. Was it worth to you? What kind of thrill do you boys get out of participating in such a vandalizing act?" The boys looked on in fear, not one of them spoke.
"Speak up!" the angered driver persisted. Picking up the brick he questioned the boys, "Who threw this?"
There was silence. No one was going to take the blame, or so it seemed. Then, from behind a parked van emerged a boy about eight who timidly folded his hands and spoke, "I'm sorry Sir....I, I (stuttering) I didn't know what else to do. I threw the brick at your car because I didn't know what else to do (he repeated) no one else would stop..." Tears erupted from the tanned boys face. They trickled down to his chin, as he motioned to a spot just around the side of the parked van, "It's my brother, he rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair. His head is bleeding and his face and chin are scratched. He is buckled into his wheelchair and we can't get him up. Please sir, could you help me? Please!!!!"
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the swelling lump in his throat as he approached the hurting handicap boy strapped in his fallen wheelchair, laying helpless in the street. He managed to get the boy back up into his wheelchair, with some help from his brother. He grabbed for his linen monogramed handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts, pushing firmly on the wound above the boys eye, hopefully it would stop the bleeding. He grabbed for his cell phone and called 911. Within a few minutes the paramedics arrived. A quick evaluation of the boy told them he would be fine, only a few stitches were needed and maybe an x-ray on the collar bone.
The young executive patted the handicapped boy on the head and wished him well. Walking back to his dented car, the younger brother ran to catch him reaching up to hug him, "Thank you sir, Thank you sir for helping my brother. I will pay you back to fix your car. Here do you want my address? I don't have a cell phone or a home phone number but I could give you my mother's work number. It may take me awhile to pay you for the damages I have done, but I promise I will." Tears flowed from the boys eyes, as he kept glancing back over his shoulder to watch the paramedics care for his handicapped brother.
The successful business man extended his hand to the boy and said, "No payment necessary young man, I'm glad I could help you."
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!"
Are you driving the road of life in the fast lane? Maybe it's time to slow down, or better yet pull off to the parking areas reserved for the scenic viewers. Don't miss the opportunities to help a neighbor in need, or make it a priority to attend your daughters music recital or your high school son's basketball game. Maybe it's time to plant that garden you've or use your culinary gifts to bake a cake for your elderly neighbor's anniversary.
It's the little things that matter, for one day we will look back and realize they were really the big things in life. Are you making time for the important things?
Blessings, Polly
