If you read the news and immerse yourself in media, it’s likely that you’ll assume that America is a divided nation. A terrible place that is fraught with violence and racial tension.
And while there is some truth to that, it isn’t the whole story.
If you look closely enough, it’s likely that you’ll find that there is much more good in this world than bad. While people bicker and fight behind the safety of their computer and cell phone screens, they actually get along and find common ground when they stop and get to know one another in real life.
When you look for the good, you’ll find stories like the one that Cody Shugart recently shared on social media. Stories of people going out of there way to help, to mentor, and raise each other up.
Stories where people don’t identify each other by their race or religion, but as human.
Shugart told the story about a man he calls Mr. Chip. Mr. Chip was Shugart’s neighbor when he was growing up. Though Shugart grew up without a father, Mr. Chip was there to fill that role.
Mr. Chip helped to teach Shugart life lessons that made him the man he is today. And now, Mr. Chip will be there to guide Shugart’s son through life just like Mr. Chip guided him.
Shugart paid tribute to Mr. Chip in a post that ended up going viral and was shared more than 240,00 times.
Shugart said he decided to share the post to show that there are positive stories out there and that there are people from different racial backgrounds who not only live in harmony but love each other.
Here’s what Shugart wrote in his post:
“So a lot of people like this picture. So I wanted to take a minute to tell the story. Milton West was my childhood next door neighbor. I knew him as Mr. Chip. He retired from DOW chemical as an operator. He has always been there for me since I was two years old. Growing up without a father was always difficult for me.
But the good lord surrounded me with great men, Mr.Chip was one of them. He constantly preached the value of an education, taught me how to take care of a yard, he taught me to see people for who they are not what they look like, he taught me how to treat my mother like a saint and many other life lessons. His contributions to me becoming a good son, man, and father was huge.”
Even though Mr. Chip wasn’t a blood relative he went out of his way to set Shugart on the right path in life.
And for that, Shugart says he is “forever grateful.”
“I am forever grateful for God putting him in my life. So this past May my wife and I had a little boy named Bob Wayne Shugart. When Mr. Chip and his wife Shirley saw him they fell in love with him. They babysit him sometimes and we go and visit when we can,” he wrote.
“The last time we were over there Mr. Chip said he wants to be called ‘POP.’ He says that’s his grandson. So we had to come up with a name for his wife. We decided on Lolli! So we tell Bob Wayne we are going to see Lolli Pop! I’m grateful that Lolli and Pop will be part of my sons life. If he learns half of the things from Mr. Chip as I did he will become a great son, man and father.”
Shugart said that he hopes his post will serve as a reminder that there is love and understanding in this world.
Despite what the media tells us.
“Every day I read something negative and how race relations are worse than ever. I disagree and I hope this is a positive loving message to many people. This is just one story in little ol Victoria, Texas. I m sure there are millions of similar stories across the United States.”
You can read Shugart’s full post below:
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So a lot of people like this picture. So I wanted to take a minute to tell the story. Milton West was my childhood next…
Posted by Cody Shugart onTuesday, April 3, 2018
