We are all exposed to the world around us and sometimes, we are carried along with the thoughts and feelings of others. That is true when things are going the right way but sometimes, things go the wrong way and we may get caught up in the action as well. Of course, we don’t always have ourselves to blame because the media tends to dwell on the negative because it sells and gets people’s attention. That doesn’t mean, however, that there is nothing positive going on in the world.
This story is certainly one that is positive and it can even inspire you to great things. It is a story of a man named Cody Shugart and the neighbor he had when he was a child, Mr. Chip. From the time that Cody was very young, he wanted to be a daddy but he didn’t have a father figure of his own. He was navigating a very difficult path of life toward fatherhood but then Mr. Chip decided to get involved.
Cody didn’t say much about his relationship with Mr. Chip for a long time. Eventually, a photo he posted of this man with a baby boy went viral on the Internet. He didn’t stay quiet any longer but rather, he spoke up and said why the photograph was so important to him.
“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.
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. 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 son’s life. If he learns half of the things from Mr. Chip as I did he will become a great son, man, and father.
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.”
It’s not hard to get caught up in all the minutia today but this video is proof that if we are good people, we can all get along beautifully with each other. Hopefully, Pop and Lolli will be around for a very long time so Bob Wayne can learn what his father did.
Cody posted this picture online and it began circulating immediately. It racked up hundreds of thousands of likes and shares. Obviously, many of us would like to see a time when we can all get along.