The Brick

The Brick

A young and successful executive was driving 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 when 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 his 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 watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk towards 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 himself of this message:

'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

Reflection:

Are there people in our life who are craving for your attention and care?

It is not always that the people we know need our attention and care but there are people who are less privileged, who are old, who are sick, who are physically challenged that may need your love to have you helping hand.

The brick is symbolic, it would be a broken relationship with an old friend for you never had time for him/her, it could be your old parents and grandparents waiting eagerly for a glimpse of you, it would be a separation of a colleague or a team member who felt neglected because you had no time. This brick can be anything which damages you emotionally and leave a dent in your life.

Do you remember the persons in our past who went out of their way to help you, develop you and see you succeed? When is it last that we met them or even called them? Are we driving too fast to miss the sight of these wonderful people in journey of life?

Moral:

Do you want life to throw bricks at you for different reasons so that you lower your speed and step out to recognize people? The best way to avoid them is to have caring and contrite heart.

Regards,

Edmund D’Silva