"Faith, Hope, and Love. And the Greatest of these is Love..."
Those words were penned by Paul the Apostle around two thousand years ago. He was speaking about man's understanding that of all things, love is the greatest gift and attribute we are to exhibit. Love should not be boastful, full of pride, as a noisy cymbal or clanging gong. Love is to be patient and kind, long suffering and generous. Love is what we are to live. Recently, I met a person who I believe demonstrated that gift in a surprising and very visible way. He did it in spite of adversity; in spite of attack.
I met Bruce Toelle.
It would have been nice to have met Bruce under better circumstances. His Grandmother had passed away and unknown by me until now, she lived only ten minutes from my home. My home? New Jersey, the Garden State.
Bruce and his sister flew into Newark the day before the services. I met them at the Airport and took them to Charlie Browns, an eatery that I like to frequent myself. His entire family was there visiting, having dinner, and more importantly, talking about years gone by. It was very special for Bruce as he had not seen some of his family members in over 20 years. And even though I was a complete stranger to his family members, from the time I walked in the door, the Toelle's made me feel as if I was one of them. That doesn't happen too often in today's world - strangers treating other strangers as if they had known them for years.
They were exhibiting love.
Bruce's mother insisted that I go to the viewing with them, I do not do funerals well - actually, they make me quite uncomfortable. And in this case, I felt even more a little out of place and because I had never met Bruce's Grandmother. But his mother persisted and try as I might to talk my way out of it, somehow she charmed me with her smile and upbeat personality and I just could not resist. Funny how things happen like that - those who have reason to be saddest have a way to connect with those of us who don't deserve such a connection.
That is love.
While at the Funeral Home, Bruce's Mother comes over and sits next to me in the back and just starts talking about life and things in general. Things like about our country, marriage, politics, and the war. I thought to myself as I listened to her thoughts that here was indeed a "cool" mom.
Shortly, Bruce's father also came over and joined in the conversation with his wife. A dynamic and charming man of character, listening to him I found out that among other interesting tidbits, he had been a United Airline pilot for over 30 years. He had some very entertaining and insightful stories as well! All this time, in the back of my mind was an amazing thought - I have never meet these people before and yet, here I am at a funeral for one of their dearest family members and discussing a variety of issues and opinions and ideas woven within the tapestries of their lives - and they're doing so with me as if I was one of them.
They were simply sharing - their lives. And by doing so, they were giving me a gift that I didn't at first see. They were sharing the life of their Grandmother with me by talking with me about those issues and events and careers and hobbies and, well, you get the picture.
They were sharing their lives. And they made me feel as if I was one of them.
Transportation in another state for someone in Bruce's position can be a sticky situation, especially at short notice. However, I am lucky enough to have a spare beater; a Toyota Camry. I insisted that Bruce use it while he was here in NJ and even so, Bruce resisted - at first. Now, of course with Bruce being the Turbo Buick fan he is, he smiled and asked to borrow the wifes Turbo Regal - but I couldn't get that 'arranged'.
His grin told me clearly that he understood.
I offered to let him crash at our house for the duration of his stay, but his entire family had booked rooms at a local Motel. So, I got Bruce to where he needed to be and called it a night. On the way home I couldn't help thinking - gee, all those horrible things I've seen some people type about Bruce and read about some of the things they try and do to this man. Attacks on his character, his judgement, his family - all by people who truly do not know what type of man Bruce is, nor what type of family he is a part of. The Bruce that I was fortunate enough to get to know is not the person the critics and naysayers would have you believe by their postings on the Internet.
The next day was Saturday and I had some things I needed to do around the house and Bruce had some 20 years to catch up on with family members. The day passed quickly for all of us but later that night we spoke and all Bruce kept saying was how thankful he was - for the car, the hospitality and the flowers sent to the funeral home. Truly, he was just a thankful person who was sincerely grateful for the kindness shown to him.
All the time he was thanking me, I was thinking to myself: "It is I who should be thanking you, Bruce."
Sunday came and it was time to get Bruce and his sister back to the Airport. With the aid of my trusty Camry and some cell phone assistance via Nextel, I got him to my house and loaded up. We left and shot up to NWK to get him started on his long day of travel back to CA.
I consider myself a very good judge of character; sometimes my wife gets scared but then says to me, "Wow YOU WERE RIGHT!" (which isn't always but more often than not) about that person and that person. I guess we all are gifted in some way and this happens to be mine. When I meet someone, I seem to be able to size them up fairly quickly what kind of person they are.
I was certainly right about Bruce.
I've said all that to say this: the Toelle's are good people with strong family values. We are always told, "Look at the parents to see how the children will turn out - because the apple does not fall far from the tree." Sitting here now writing this, I still can not understand some of the nasty things I had read about Bruce or what justifications there may be for the personal attacks heaped upon a man that most have never even talked to or spent any time around.
Technology can be so helpful. Yet, it can also be so damaging to others when the intent is ill directed, all the facts are not known, and especially when the motives are to hurt others. TurboBuick.com is a message board; not a personal face to face meeting place. The downfall of that is that it lends an air of intimacy that actually is not there. Very few of us actually know the others. We may THINK we do, but we don't.
As Turbo Regal owners, the number of us is slowly diminishing. If you look at how many Turbo Regals GM built and look at all the ones that have met their fate by being junked due to theft or neglect, or ones being hacked beyond repair, you will see that with each passing year, there simply will be fewer and fewer of the cars and thus, fewer and fewer people like us who enjoy them.
Our group is actually quite small when compared to other car groups such as the Mustang boys or the F-Body guys. Yet, given the chance due to jelousy or hurtful motives, we all too often trash each other, saying mean and vindictive things and hurling allegations about as if they are leaves tossed in the wind.
I just do not get it.
I know beyond any doubt that the visit with Bruce and his family really opened my eyes. He is just a hard working American - just like you and me - trying to feed his family and pay bills, all the while with the same love and passion we all have for cars. I just had to come to realize that most people do not know Bruce and therefore, have nothing to back up their angry positions. Ironic isn't it that when Bruce did Transmission Tech everyone loved him; yet, when he took over this board most people who never even meet the guy, did not like him? How did that happen?
That isn't Love...
The Toelle family is one of the deepest rooted families I have ever had the good fortune to meet. Bruce is a really good guy that would give his last meal to see someone else eat. I found out first hand that he and his family are not the people I had read so many bad things about over the years.
Instead I met a family with morals and strong family values and golden hearts. I met a family who had the greatest gift of all.
Love.
Those words were penned by Paul the Apostle around two thousand years ago. He was speaking about man's understanding that of all things, love is the greatest gift and attribute we are to exhibit. Love should not be boastful, full of pride, as a noisy cymbal or clanging gong. Love is to be patient and kind, long suffering and generous. Love is what we are to live. Recently, I met a person who I believe demonstrated that gift in a surprising and very visible way. He did it in spite of adversity; in spite of attack.
I met Bruce Toelle.
It would have been nice to have met Bruce under better circumstances. His Grandmother had passed away and unknown by me until now, she lived only ten minutes from my home. My home? New Jersey, the Garden State.
Bruce and his sister flew into Newark the day before the services. I met them at the Airport and took them to Charlie Browns, an eatery that I like to frequent myself. His entire family was there visiting, having dinner, and more importantly, talking about years gone by. It was very special for Bruce as he had not seen some of his family members in over 20 years. And even though I was a complete stranger to his family members, from the time I walked in the door, the Toelle's made me feel as if I was one of them. That doesn't happen too often in today's world - strangers treating other strangers as if they had known them for years.
They were exhibiting love.
Bruce's mother insisted that I go to the viewing with them, I do not do funerals well - actually, they make me quite uncomfortable. And in this case, I felt even more a little out of place and because I had never met Bruce's Grandmother. But his mother persisted and try as I might to talk my way out of it, somehow she charmed me with her smile and upbeat personality and I just could not resist. Funny how things happen like that - those who have reason to be saddest have a way to connect with those of us who don't deserve such a connection.
That is love.
While at the Funeral Home, Bruce's Mother comes over and sits next to me in the back and just starts talking about life and things in general. Things like about our country, marriage, politics, and the war. I thought to myself as I listened to her thoughts that here was indeed a "cool" mom.
Shortly, Bruce's father also came over and joined in the conversation with his wife. A dynamic and charming man of character, listening to him I found out that among other interesting tidbits, he had been a United Airline pilot for over 30 years. He had some very entertaining and insightful stories as well! All this time, in the back of my mind was an amazing thought - I have never meet these people before and yet, here I am at a funeral for one of their dearest family members and discussing a variety of issues and opinions and ideas woven within the tapestries of their lives - and they're doing so with me as if I was one of them.
They were simply sharing - their lives. And by doing so, they were giving me a gift that I didn't at first see. They were sharing the life of their Grandmother with me by talking with me about those issues and events and careers and hobbies and, well, you get the picture.
They were sharing their lives. And they made me feel as if I was one of them.
Transportation in another state for someone in Bruce's position can be a sticky situation, especially at short notice. However, I am lucky enough to have a spare beater; a Toyota Camry. I insisted that Bruce use it while he was here in NJ and even so, Bruce resisted - at first. Now, of course with Bruce being the Turbo Buick fan he is, he smiled and asked to borrow the wifes Turbo Regal - but I couldn't get that 'arranged'.
His grin told me clearly that he understood.I offered to let him crash at our house for the duration of his stay, but his entire family had booked rooms at a local Motel. So, I got Bruce to where he needed to be and called it a night. On the way home I couldn't help thinking - gee, all those horrible things I've seen some people type about Bruce and read about some of the things they try and do to this man. Attacks on his character, his judgement, his family - all by people who truly do not know what type of man Bruce is, nor what type of family he is a part of. The Bruce that I was fortunate enough to get to know is not the person the critics and naysayers would have you believe by their postings on the Internet.
The next day was Saturday and I had some things I needed to do around the house and Bruce had some 20 years to catch up on with family members. The day passed quickly for all of us but later that night we spoke and all Bruce kept saying was how thankful he was - for the car, the hospitality and the flowers sent to the funeral home. Truly, he was just a thankful person who was sincerely grateful for the kindness shown to him.
All the time he was thanking me, I was thinking to myself: "It is I who should be thanking you, Bruce."
Sunday came and it was time to get Bruce and his sister back to the Airport. With the aid of my trusty Camry and some cell phone assistance via Nextel, I got him to my house and loaded up. We left and shot up to NWK to get him started on his long day of travel back to CA.
I consider myself a very good judge of character; sometimes my wife gets scared but then says to me, "Wow YOU WERE RIGHT!" (which isn't always but more often than not) about that person and that person. I guess we all are gifted in some way and this happens to be mine. When I meet someone, I seem to be able to size them up fairly quickly what kind of person they are.
I was certainly right about Bruce.
I've said all that to say this: the Toelle's are good people with strong family values. We are always told, "Look at the parents to see how the children will turn out - because the apple does not fall far from the tree." Sitting here now writing this, I still can not understand some of the nasty things I had read about Bruce or what justifications there may be for the personal attacks heaped upon a man that most have never even talked to or spent any time around.
Technology can be so helpful. Yet, it can also be so damaging to others when the intent is ill directed, all the facts are not known, and especially when the motives are to hurt others. TurboBuick.com is a message board; not a personal face to face meeting place. The downfall of that is that it lends an air of intimacy that actually is not there. Very few of us actually know the others. We may THINK we do, but we don't.
As Turbo Regal owners, the number of us is slowly diminishing. If you look at how many Turbo Regals GM built and look at all the ones that have met their fate by being junked due to theft or neglect, or ones being hacked beyond repair, you will see that with each passing year, there simply will be fewer and fewer of the cars and thus, fewer and fewer people like us who enjoy them.
Our group is actually quite small when compared to other car groups such as the Mustang boys or the F-Body guys. Yet, given the chance due to jelousy or hurtful motives, we all too often trash each other, saying mean and vindictive things and hurling allegations about as if they are leaves tossed in the wind.
I just do not get it.
I know beyond any doubt that the visit with Bruce and his family really opened my eyes. He is just a hard working American - just like you and me - trying to feed his family and pay bills, all the while with the same love and passion we all have for cars. I just had to come to realize that most people do not know Bruce and therefore, have nothing to back up their angry positions. Ironic isn't it that when Bruce did Transmission Tech everyone loved him; yet, when he took over this board most people who never even meet the guy, did not like him? How did that happen?
That isn't Love...
The Toelle family is one of the deepest rooted families I have ever had the good fortune to meet. Bruce is a really good guy that would give his last meal to see someone else eat. I found out first hand that he and his family are not the people I had read so many bad things about over the years.
Instead I met a family with morals and strong family values and golden hearts. I met a family who had the greatest gift of all.
Love.
