The other day while speaking at a function on why we need to find a purpose in life, I noticed a young lady putting her head down most of the time.
I met her afterwards during the tea break: "You don’t seem to be interested in the topic?” I asked her as she smiled sheepishly, "You are different Bob," she said, "you're a writer, I'm only a banker!"
"If you'll permit me," I told the audience, after the tea break and as I gave the same young lady a smile, "I'd like to repeat a small story! A cop story, told by a cop."
"It was some years ago I stopped a man about thirty years old for speeding down a country road. As I approached his car, I could tell he was upset with me, with life, or with whatever. As a rule I have always tried to treat the public as I would want my family treated. I admit I haven't always succeeded, but I've tried, and I tried to do so with the young man!"
"I told him life was too good to blow it up with havin' an accident while speeding. A few weeks later I was called to my Captain's office before the start of my shift. He had in front of him a letter from the man I had stopped and another addressed to me."
"I thought to myself, "Oh boy, here we go. Now I have to defend myself for doing my job. But to my amazement I was so completely wrong. In the Captain's letter he thanked me for my professional conduct and for writing him a ticket. In my letter he thanked me for my conduct and for the advice I'd given him and the concern I had for him."
"He went on to say I'd saved his life: It seemed his life that day was spinning out of control, and he'd made up his mind to end his life by crashing into something at a high speed. He was stopped by me, and what changed his mind was my kind words to him, he was surprised someone cared enough to talk him out of speeding!"
"Of all the letters and cards I have ever received in my life, I cherish this the most; whenever I feel down and wonder about my job, my life and future, I look at it and know I've been put here by my Lord and I'll always be in the right place at the right time, even if I'm only a cop!"
There were tears in the same young lady's eyes as I finished, and as I continued my talk I saw new enthusiasm in her face as she realized there was a divine purpose in her being a banker!
