Just a brick?

I came across a parable today...
What a great reminder for me...
it's time to slow down a little before life passes me by or I miss the things needing attention in my world....

"The Parable of the Brick and the Jaguar"

A young executive was driving his brand new Jaguar in an area where there were usually several children playing in the street.  He thought he saw something darting out from between parked cars and slowed down.  As his car passed, no children appeared.  Instead a brick smashed into the Jag’s side door!  He slammed on the brakes and 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 . . . “Just what the heck are you doing? . . . That’s a new car and the damage that brick you threw is going to cost me 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 cheeks 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 in his wheelchair?  He’s hurt and he’s too heavy for me.“

Moved beyond words, the driver 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 OK.

“Thank you and God bless you,” the grateful child said to him.
The man then watched the little boy push his brother down the street toward their home.
It was a long walk back to his Jaguar; a long, 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 had to throw a brick at you to get your attention.


God whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart.
Sometimes when you don’t have time to listen, he has to throw a “brick” at you.
 (Author unknown)
 
I not only love the reminder to slow down, pay attention to life and those around you; but also the story of the sweet love that we can have for others...to what measure do we reach out to one another?  How many of us would be willing to throw that "brick" for someone we love?  Do we possess that kind of love?  Do the people in our lives know we'd be willing to throw a brick for them, at any and all costs? 
 
Are bricks being thrown our direction, in a desperate attempt for attention?  How many of us recognize when and where we are needed before a "dent" is made?
 
Guess I'm just at a place where this story hit a few tender places...
Sometimes it just takes a brick to wake me up!
I'm grateful that this little parable "hit" me today;
I plan to:
Slow down a little,
enjoy life a lot,
love others fully & completely & make sure they know of my love for them,
be quick to recognize and act on the needs of those around me...
and smile ~ if we all smiled a little more, just think how bright and happy this world could be!
Here's a smile for YOU!
Have a fabulous week...hoping we can all avoid any flying bricks!