I never in a million years thought that there would be such a life changing message learned around making a purchase. It was a simple thought. I recently was caught speeding and was fined $148.00. It upset my day. No it destroyed my week. $148.00. Not too long ago I worked a week for that amount.

My lifestyle has changed. I’m always in a hurry. In fact just a few months prior to the fine I was pulled over but was given a warning. The only other time I got a ticket was when I was in my early twenties.

What was happening to me? I needed to make changes and fast. There I go again, fast. I thought about it for days. Why was this happening? What could I do to prevent this? Slow down? Nah. I’ll get a radar detector!

Wow! I never had one before. Now I’ll be able to continue this break neck speed. (Bad choice of words.) They’ll never catch me.

But I caught myself. No. My youngest son caught me.

“A radar detector? Why did you get that, Dad?”

OK. You explain it to your child. “I got it so I could break the law and go too fast while under pressure and getting nowhere fast, son.”

I stumbled with my words. I’m a professional speaker. I could not rightfully explain why I bought a radar detector. Every reason I had was wrong.

I held on to it for about a week. I told my wife about my conversation with Evan. The next day I returned it. But from stupidity comes virtue. I had the greatest lesson to share with my son. I told him just yesterday that I returned it. “Why?” he asked. “Because of you, Evan. I realized that the only reason I bought one was so that I could break the law. What kind of lesson was I teaching you?”

God I was proud of myself.

As my 83 year old friend Violet says…”Hurry slowly.”

“That which grows slowly, endures”

I grew up that day. But in a hurry.

– Written by Bob Perks http://www.bobperks.com