I finished growing up in northern Iowa (age 10 to 18). One of the beautiful things about our very small town was the brick street that ran from one end of Broadway (our main street) to the other. Ever ride a bicycle on a brick street? There’s a certain sound from the bike tires hitting the joints that just doesn’t come from riding on concrete or asphalt!

One day, some “wise” head or heads decided that we should modernize our little town and become more like a big city. One of the decisions involved the bricks. They weren’t removed. They were covered over with tar, oil, and asphalt.

Have you ever noticed how some things in life seem to cycle around and around. Men’s suits go through several gestations regarding their lapels. And what about ties? “I wish I’d kept the ones from 25 years ago”. I see bell bottom britches on both men and women right now. Ah, bell bottoms in the 60’s!

Well, a few weeks ago, I saw a tv special on bricks. Seems like some of our towns here in Florida have quietly been buying up used bricks. They’re redoing their streets with these bricks. Those bricks which were so unceremoniously and cruelly paved over would bring lots of money today. I guess it’s kinda like “one man’s brick is another man’s pavement base” or something like that.

I didn’t intend to revisit last week’s piece except through the responses at the end of this week’s piece. Shows how little I know (in advance)! Of the many fine responses I received, one really leaped out at me. Read this and then I’ll come back with a bit of a comment.

     Enjoyed your article. I’m getting the feeling that this reply is going to be “heavy”!

     Brick walls! Yes, I guess we all collect bricks along the path of life – it’s what we do with them that either takes us along our brick path or gets us enclosed behind a brick wall. Growing up in an abusive family, I used my “bricks” to build a wall of protection. Behind this wall, it was secure and safe, but it was lonely. I collected bricks of anger, denial, low self-esteem, lack of trust and confidence, and so forth. As the wall grew, it got darker and darker, until finally there was little light, only a dark place of deep depression. I wanted to give up, and just be content with living in the dark, but something deep inside wouldn’t give up. With the grace of God, I started to tear down the wall.

     One by one, I removed the bricks. Some were easier than others, but each one left a scar. When the wall was at a level where I could step over it, I did just that. With the bricks that I had taken down, I started to build a path. As I picked up each brick, I examined it, placed it on the ground, and took one more step forward. I still have more bricks to lay, but each brick helps build a path towards a healthy “me”. Jesus is walking right beside me, helping me all the way.

When I ask my readers to respond, perhaps they don’t realize how important their feedback is to me. Not only do I gain fresh understanding, I often add immensely to my original understanding of the theme of my weekly stuff. I’d never ever thought of using the bricks for path building – only bridge building. Thanks, D_____, for sharing your inspired insight with me and, ultimately, with all my other readers! Keep laying those bricks! Someone else may well walk down and appreciate all your hard work.

Another good friend took an entirely different tack on “walls”. She encouraged the study of Nehemiah, the man who lived during the time of wall rebuilding in Israel. Her view of his walls is that they were meant to protect the Israelites from the attacks of enemy nations. The walls not only helped keep them out physically, but also kept out their corrupt, heathen influences.

Yep, we certainly do need walls of protection around our inner spiritual person even while we are “IN the world, but not OF the world”. Although her emphasis was very different from mine, it was refreshing and broadening.

– As you know, I haven’t been responding to your wonderful stories lately, but I just wanted you to know I read them all, and they are so great! I have been sitting back and enjoying the other people’s responses. Some are so touching, heart wrenching, expressing such beautiful thoughts. Sometimes, it’s best to listen, and I have learned a lot, not just from you, but from your readers.

– Well, I finally got into my e-mail again after many days of not being able to and enjoyed your wall story. Some of us don’t even know we have walls, so we just keep bumping into them, getting hurt and blaming it on something or someone else.

     Other people don’t see our walls in front of them, plow right into them, and get hurt, too. We need to have clearer no “trespassing signs” until we give the demolition crew an okay to do their job.

– Your story this week reminds me of all the hate crimes going on since our horrid tragedy in New York, D.C., and Pennsylvania. A lot of Americans of Islamic origin are being targeted because of their origin, never minding that they are good Americans just like all of us who love our country. I would like to see us build bridges to STOP all this hate and racism. There is no reason for it. We need to unite, and by building these bridges we can do just that!!!!!!!! GREAT story, as usual. I always enjoy them so!

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