OtherThanThat

How many times have you gotten one of these?
Read It!!!
Read this today and don’t delete it if you are too busy!!
You’ll see.
The ever-present email chain letters. In our digital age they have become, well, no more than yet another junk mail message slapped into the in-box. More often than not I just delete them, but every now and again I’ve forwarded my fair share. The message of this one though, I thought merited a more permanent location for reading and so I’ve posted it here …
Of course, that could be a serious problem…

Because let’s face it, there’s more bullshit perpetuated by email these days than anything else – especially bogus chain letters. The good news is that this email doesn’t ask for anything. You don’t need to send any money. You don’t need to buy or sell anything. Those are the ones that really cause trouble – especially since in pretty much every case they’re a bunch of hogwash. It pays in any case when you get something strange by email – even if sent by someone you know – that you check it out. Some great sites exist to debunk all sorts of email urban legends and myths.
This, however, doesn’t ask for anything. Well, it asks that you forward it to 7 friends, but I figure by posting it here at least that many will read it so I’ve done my part.
The other challenge is that in today’s digital age someone may well get pissed that I’ve cribbed their words without crediting them. But since the email thread doesn’t indicate from whence it began, I’ll merely say that it was sent courtesy of my Uncle Billy Share who lives in Southern Florida.
The theme of this message to me falls into the same vein as my most recent experiences with digital connectivity. All too often the same technology that allows us to do more things, more quickly and more efficiently keeps us running at high speed and with blinders on.
That is, until something hits you upside the head …
With that, I offer this:

THE BRICK
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 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 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 watched 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!” G-d 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.
Read on …
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.
Send this to every “beautiful person” you wish to bless.
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.
Read this line very slowly and let it sink in …
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Pass this message to seven people except you and me.
You will receive a miracle tomorrow (just do it)!