So, here is the story…
A number of years ago our famiily was shopping for a new car.
A young salesman for one of the cars we were considering eagerly pointed out all of the safety features on the particular car we were looking at, including the fact that it had side airbags. (Side airbags were relatively new at the time.) In his effort to make the sale he said to us,
“Even if they only save your life once they are worth it.”
We thanked him for his time and left the showroom.
And, I wrote down what he said.
“Even if they only save your life once they are worth it.”
Now for what I believe…and don’t believe.
I believe my life needs to be saved.
I don’t believe that has anything to do with what happens after I die.
I believe it has everything to do with how I live today.
I need to be saved from selfishness.
I need to be saved from narrow-mindedness.
I need to be saved from arrogance.
I need to be saved from thinking it is ALL my responsibility or my fault.
I need to be saved from taking myself to seriously.
That list can certainly go on.
But if that is what I believe then the next question is:
What is going to save my life today?
What is going to turn me in the direction of hope?
What is going to turn me in the direction of gratitude?
What is going to stop me in my tracks and make me pay attention?
What is doing to take my breath away?
Rather than being rhetorical, these are real life questions that I need to find ways to live with and to pay attention to each day. Otherwise the life I have to live today will be lost.
He was right, you know.
“Even if they only save your life once they are worth it.”
And we did buy the car.
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