Words of Wisdom From Rick Brinkley
As we reported earlier this year, State Senator Rick Brinkley has developed quite the following on Facebook due to his status updates. They are full of wisdom, and sometimes, simply just hilarious. We referred to him at the time as the male version of Ann Landers. He’d probably prefer a modern day Will Rogers, but we’re sticking with Landers. It’s time this former daytime TV producer, turned preacher, turned State Senator, got a regular newspaper column or radio gig. Better yet, turn his posts into a coffee table book. Enjoy one of his latest (shared 135 times to date):
Discover YOUR Chip!
I bought a “new” car yesterday. New to me, at least. It’s actually going on 6-years-old…low miles & a great deal. When it was new, it was a very expensive car. Now, not so much. Within about an hour of buying the car, I got out of it and a friend saw me. Not knowing I had just bought it & its story, he took one look at the car & said “You must have a chip on your shoulder!” “What?” “Only a person with something to prove would buy a car like that.” My first thought was to get a little defensive & explain away the age of the car, the low mileage, & the great deal.
Then, I realized he was probably right.
I grew up in a family that wasn’t poor by any means, but we went to work very young. I was a shoe shine boy at Dotson’s Barber shop beginning in the 5th grade….everyday after school & all day on Saturdays for 3 years…25 cents a pair. In those days, the livestock auction was located on Main Street & on a big sale day, I would make $30….all in quarters….a lot of money for a 10 year old boy in the fall of ’71….by the way, imagine the boots I cleaned on Sale Days…of all the things I’ve done polishing boots after a livestock sale uniquely qualifies me to work at the state Capitol.
I dropped out of college to go to work when I was 19, because a job opened up. But, 11 years later I was able to complete my degree &, eventually, get a Masters.
Years later, I found myself a single dad working at a church making $15,000/year and going to the grocery store at 7AM on Thursdays because that was the day meat that was near expiration was marked down for “quick sale”. I would buy the large family packs that had been discounted, break them up in smaller packages, & get them into the freezer. You do what you have to do.
It is in those bad times…like over 20-years ago….explaining to your child that the power has been turned off, but will be back on soon….that you don’t forget. It was in that moment I decided to take on two extra jobs to insure we were never in that situation again, but also so we could take advantage of all of the opportunities that were available to us….the forming of a pebble that grew into a “chip”, but not a “boulder” to weigh me down.
We all have our moments….loss of job, divorce, addictions, etc….that become defining moments. Moments that cause us to say “Never Again!” These are the moments that place a chip on our shoulder. A chip we carry to remind us that we will never go back. A chip that pushes us forward. But, never a boulder to cause us anger, exhaustion, or frustration to give up.
So, I guess I do have a ” Chip on my shoulder.” He was right.
With all of the chances I have been given in my life, I am going to be driven to achieve all I can. I cannot allow the bad moments of 20 some odd years ago to define me, but to use them push me to do better.
Proudly carry your chip that reminds you to never go back to the dark times. But, rather as a reminder of all the opportunities you have been given…..that cause you to be driven to do all you were created to do.