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Growing Our Future
Growing Our Future
Temporary Defeat Does Not Mean a Permanent Failure ... Be About It!
In this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast, host Aaron Alejandro engages in a heartfelt conversation with Trenell Walker, who shares his inspiring journey from aspiring NFL player to motivational speaker and life coach after a life-altering spinal cord injury. The discussion emphasizes the importance of gratitude, resilience, and the power of the mind. Trenell introduces his 'Trenell Effect,' a framework for personal growth that includes taking action, being resilient, encouraging others, and never quitting. The conversation also touches on the significance of leadership and making impactful decisions in life. Listeners are encouraged to seize opportunities and live with purpose, ultimately aiming to inspire future generations.
Story Notes:
- Gratitude and the Gift of Breath
- Tronell's Journey: From Football Dreams to Resilience
- The Tronell Effect: Keys to Success
- Seizing Opportunities and Making Decisions
- The Importance of Leadership
- Closing Thoughts and Encouragement
Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org
Welcome to the Growing Our Future podcast. In this show, the Texas FFA Foundation will take on a journey of exploration into agricultural science, education, leadership development and insights from subject matter experts and sponsors who provide the fuel to make dreams come true. Here's your host, Aaron Alejandro.
Speaker 2:Well, good morning, good afternoon, good evening or whenever you may be tuning in to the Growing Our Future podcast, I tell you those that know know that I'm an ag guy, I'm an agricultural guy, and I always tell people, if agriculture has taught me anything, it's taught me this If you want to know what the future is, grow it. Well, to grow it, you've got to plant the right seeds, you've got to take care of those seeds and then one day, if you do it all right and you keep the weeds out, you get to harvest it. And then, when you harvest it, I want you to share it with others. That's what this podcast is about. It's about growing a better future, and to do that, we invite incredible guests to come on here, guests that are willing to share their testimonies, their experiences, their insights. And today we have got an exceptional guest. And today we have got an exceptional guest.
Speaker 2:I had the opportunity to be a part of a program called Igniting the Next Generation Leadership Program and I got to hear this man speak. And as soon as I heard him speak, I said I got to get that man on the Growing Our Future podcast and he didn't hesitate. I want y'all to know he didn't say let me think about it, how many podcasts have you done? He said Aaron, I'm all in. Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to hear from Trinnell here in a second. This is Trinnell Walker. Trinnell, thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 3:Hey, my pleasure. I'm so excited to be able to just sit here and chit chat with you, like two friends that we are.
Speaker 2:And that's exactly what. I'm glad you said that because that's what we're going to do, so I don't like any formal structure. People ask me all the time, trinnell. They say, can you send me the questions, can you tell me what you're going to ask me? And I'm like, nope, I said that's the reason I like this is because I think when we're just genuinely having a conversation that's the reason I like this is because I think when we were just genuinely having a conversation, I think that's where the real seeds of greatness in a person's testimony, in their story, I think that's where it comes out. And I know, I know, trinnell, that's what's going to happen today.
Speaker 3:I'm right there with you. I'm touching the green with you.
Speaker 2:Okay, here we go, we kick off this podcast and everybody gets the same question. So, guess what you get? The same question everybody else gets, and that is this, trinnell, what are you grateful for today?
Speaker 3:I'm grateful to be able to breathe, and the reason why I say that is because, you know, with my spinal cord injury, I have a C4 spinal cord injury which has left me paralyzed from the neck down and, as a result, I only use one of the three muscles we use to breathe, which is the diaphragm, and we have the chest muscle and the stomach muscle. So, for me, I've been dealing with congestion for the last two days and even prior to getting onto this podcast, I actually had to have my assistant to be able to help me cough up the congestion that I've been dealing with. So, just being able to breathe the breath of life that's been breathed into our nostrils, I mean. I'm so grateful for that because I can't take that for granted, because if you can't breathe you can't teach, and if you can't teach you can't speak. If you can't speak, you can't influence.
Speaker 2:We just stop right there.
Speaker 2:That's the reason why I wanted him on here, because that's the kind of gold y'all are going to get all day today right there. Uh, turn out. I agree with you. By the way, you said something else there that I think I want to go ahead and I'm just going to throw it out there. I like to ask the kids I say name the most successful athlete? No name. I'll say name the most successful athlete, and they'll name them. I'll say name the most successful business person? They'll name them. Name the most successful entertainer? They'll name them. And I said now, think about all that success you just named. And then I always ask them which one of those people make their own heartbeat every day? Wow, let that sink in for a second. And then all of a sudden you realize that that breath you just talked about what an incredible gift.
Speaker 2:What an incredible gift, and we're going to talk about that because that's some good stuff right there. Uh, let's go. All right, here we go. So, again, the way that we met was we were both part of a project through a generation ziggler uh program. Uh, which, by the way, trinell and I both have a connection to tom ziggler and the ziggler Corporation.
Speaker 2:Trinnell, I don't know if you know or not, but back in the day, zig Ziegler he didn't know it, but Zig Ziegler was my mentor what, and I used the book See you at the Top to get elected Texas FFA president. And on the weekends I used to live. I lived in Dallas when I was state president and on the weekends I would go downtown Dallas to First Baptist Church and I would go to Zig Ziglar Sunday school class. He never knew I was there. Now you can imagine what it was like years later when James McLam and Matt Rush introduced me to Tom Ziglar, when James McLam and Matt Rush introduced me to Tom Ziegler and I got to tell Tom about his dad being my mentor, and then ultimately, tom Ziegler came on my board of directors.
Speaker 2:He's on the board of directors of the Texas FFA Foundation. Now you can imagine what it was like for me to sit in a room at Ziegler headquarters and watch Tom Ziegler training our state officers.
Speaker 2:Wow, I'm sitting here going. Your daddy did that for me and now I'm getting to watch you pour into this next generation of leaders. So I say all that to tee up Trinnell's credentials, because he is a speaker, a life coach and he is a Ziegler certified speaker, presenter and coach. And I think it's pretty obvious, trinnell, I got another really good board member, cleo Franklin, who's also a speaker presenter. Cleo's grandfather said son, he said never speak on the obvious and game recognizes game.
Speaker 3:True.
Speaker 2:I think anybody that listens and looks at Trinnell knows that this man's got a story, he's got a testimony, and that is why I wanted him on here, because when I heard it I was inspired. And so, Trinnell, you didn't just fall into that seat right there no sir there's. There's a story that needs to be told. So if you would take a moment and just kind of lead us on your life journey, uh, as to where you are today and how, you got there okay.
Speaker 3:Well, I appreciate you blessing me with this opportunity, though I I haven't always used the super fly wheelchair, you know that I'm sitting in today. I'm telling you, 28 years ago, man, football was my life, but I was passionate about it. I had planned on using my athletic talents to be able to pay for college and to be able to, you know, take care of my family. Because, I mean, when I was told, you know, my talents was, you know, on an NFL level. And I already knew that my mom, being a single parent, working a full time job only making $5.25 at the time, plus two part-time jobs to take care of me, my older brother and my grandmother, who had a disability, wouldn't be able to, you know, pay for me to go to college. So going to college put me a step closer to my ultimate goal, and that was to be able to play in the NFL. Because I had already been in class. Visualized, you know, being drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, walking across the stage, shaking a commissioner's hand, putting on that hat that represented that star. Oh yeah, baby, I was already representing them Dallas Cowboys, you know, holding up that jersey with the number one on it, signed a contract to make enough money just to retire my mom work, buy her a house as well as a brand new car. But it's been said that the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. And on October 20th 1995, I was fulfilling my dream as a freshman, playing on the varsity football team, starting at the defensive back position at the strong safety. I'll never forget.
Speaker 3:The lights from Bearcat Stadium shined out on the field capturing my performance. The cold October breeze nipped at my skin as I walked to the left side of the defense to take my position. I looked in at the quarterback waiting for him to receive the ball. He received the football and immediately tossed it to the running back, headed in my direction. Man, I seen that running back coming my way and I read that play. Oh yeah, like a book. I ran up the field, stopped the running back. The running back saw me. He tried to reverse field but he slipped and I made a textbook tackle from behind. Hitting the running back saw me. He tried to reverse field but he slipped and I made a textbook tackle from behind hitting the running back, wrapping him up and driving him toward the ground.
Speaker 3:But, unknowing to me, my teammate was coming from the opposite side to assist. The running back saw it, but I didn't, and so the running back ducked underneath and when he did it exposed my head and my own teammate ran into me, hitting me at the top of my hands, crushing the fourth vertebrae in my neck, leaving me paralyzed from the neck down. You know what was meant to be my high school glory days turned into temporary defeat. But you know, days turned into temporary defeat. But you know, I learned that temporary defeat does not mean permanent failure. When I tried a bad attitude, I tried blaming others, but one of the things that I learned from my mom is that nothing beats a failure but a try. And that's when I started to really change my attitude in trying what I now call the Trinnell effect, and that's taking action, being resilient, encouraging, never quitting evaluating learning and love and myself to be able to continue to pursue my career forward. And in doing so, I was able to continue to go to high school.
Speaker 3:I ended up graduating with my classmates in 1999. And I wasn't finished with that. I wanted to more. I wanted to be able to give back. So I pursued my college career in the University of North Texas and did in Texas in rehabilitation studies. So I ended up getting my bachelor's degree and I'm like man, I want a little bit more, I want something more specific. So I decided to go into rehabilitation counseling and I ended up becoming a rehabilitation counselor and then you know, lo and behold, in 2015, I ended up becoming a Ziegler Legacy Certified Trainer as well as this certified side, as well as again a coach. So it's been a journey. I mean, I was a corporate trainer for 12 years for a pediatric home health and I'm not sharing all this to impress you, but to impress upon you. It's impossible to stop a motivated person because they will never quit.
Speaker 2:Wow, one day, trinnell, I was in a you know you're from a small North Texas town. I'm from a small North Texas town and before I took this job that I'm in now, 24 years ago, I used to work in a bootcamp. I worked with truant offenders and I worked in a prison. So I went from that audience to these FFA kids. So that's kind of tells you the shift in the audience that I went from.
Speaker 2:But I remember one day I was in this coffee shop where these old men had gathered and they were cussing, discussing what's wrong with this country, and they said Alejandro, I'll tell you what's wrong with this country. I said what is it? They said we got to get back to the basics. I said, all right, I'm listening. The three R's I said okay. They said yep, reading, writing and arithmetic. We'll just get back to the basics, we'll put this country back on track.
Speaker 2:And I remember sitting there listening to those men and I said gentlemen, I mean you know disrespect, but I agree with you about the three R's. I said I work with true and offenders. I worked with juvenile detention kids and I work in a prison and everybody that I can work with can read, write and do math at some functional level. I said but you're right about the three R's, but it's not reading, writing and arithmetic. I said I think if we could just get back to respect, responsibility and resiliency. I said something tells me if we get back to the basics of those three. Learn to respect yourself, your fellow man, learn to be responsible for yourself, your family, your community, your state country, and learn to get up when you've been knocked down. Not everybody's going to put that cap on hold that jersey up.
Speaker 2:But that doesn't mean that there's not another purpose for that life. You've got to be resilient, and that's one reason Trinnell's story touches me is because I love to see somebody who's resilient and take their resiliency and pour it into others. Before we came on the air, trinnell and I were talking about that and you know, trinnell's been given a testimony for a reason. Could be the person that's listening to the podcast today. I've been given a testimony for a reason, and we never know when that person's going to cross our life path, and that's why we've got to share. That's why we've got to grow the future, because Trinnell and I both I know what the stats are. I'm not going to be here forever. We got to make sure somebody's there to pick up and carry on and make it better for the people that follow in our footsteps, and that's why I like Trinnell.
Speaker 2:I like his story. Trinnell, I know that one of the things I like, that you do so cleverly. By the way, I brag on you all the time. You don't know that I do this, but Trinnell has this knack of taking words and then he spells it out with all these little hints of life and how to live a better life. Trinnell, walk me through some of those. Walk me through some of your favorite words and their meanings to success.
Speaker 3:I mean the ones that I really like, and I actually broke it down in the acronym and I call it the trinell effect, and you briefly- heard me say it earlier and I like to teach this when I go out and share and do my trainings, because we all have value.
Speaker 3:And the acronym or for Trinnell the take action, the resilient, the encouraged, the never quit, the evaluate, the learn and love. That shows me my value, but then when I put an affirmation to it, that's going to show me my effect, and this is what I mean by this. This the T is for take action, why Proper action leads to satisfaction. The R resilient why Be resilient? Because two steps back can lead to a great comeback. The E encourage, why Encourage, in order to a great comeback. The E encourage, why Encourage in order to help one flourish. The N never quit, why it's impossible to stop a motivated person because they will never quit. The E evaluate, why Evaluation can help lead to your destination. The L evaluate, why Evaluation can help lead to your destination. The L learn, why? Because when you learn, you earn respect for yourself, others and you could possibly earn more money, money, money. And the last L is for love, why? Because love is a gift from above and so, by being able to take action, be resilient, encourage, never quit, evaluate, learn and love that will give you the power to persevere, so you may influence lives and empower generations to thrive.
Speaker 3:So that's one of the acronyms that I like to use. And the other one I like to use is called live, because I like to live one day at a time, or live in the moment. The L stands for laugh Laugh as long as you breathe. We all go through some things every day and we may experience depression, but I've learned that 12 laughs a day keep depression away.
Speaker 3:The I is for inspire, because you have to inspire yourself by breathing life into yourself, by having a gratitude journal. So when you're going through things and you need to inspire yourself, just look at your gratitude journal, because I keep one every day that I write down what I'm grateful for. The V is for value Value every moment by living in the moment, Because the only time we're able to live is in the present moment. And the last one is e is for enjoy enjoy the people and the day, because you never know when it's going to be your last. So those and you can just live one day at a time or, like I say, live in the moment. Live, inspire, value, enjoy the moments. That is so good.
Speaker 2:That's why I told you I wanted you on here right there. I love the way that you take some really deep and sophisticated life concepts and you put them in a real easy digestible form that a person could assimilate. Um, one that I heard years ago that I use is r2a2. Um, I don't know if you've ever heard of r2a2. Most people ask me if it's a star wars character and I say no, it's not. R2a2 stands for recognize, relate, assimilate and apply. So what I hope people do in these podcasts is recognize the concept.
Speaker 2:Trinnell just gave me the Trinnell effect. Trinnell just gave me live, relate to it. Okay, I see what he was saying there about love and laughter and living, and I think I can kind of relate to that. The next one is assimilate, to take in and to make part of oneself, and then, after you do that, you got to apply it. You got to apply the Trinnell effect, you got to apply the live, and so I think that when I heard you speak and I watched you lay these things out for me somebody who's practicing R2A2, now you know why I wanted you on here. Cause I'm like I got to get that guy on here to share all that Cause. That's exactly what we need to do.
Speaker 3:Yes, I mean I. I mean I definitely agree with you on that, because we can listen and hear things all day long, but if we can't relate to them and if we can't apply them to our lives, it's basically useless. Because I hear people say knowledge is power and I'm like no knowledge is potential power. Applying that knowledge is where the power comes in, because now you got wisdom, because now you can learn from what you have already been taught. Now you're applying it, now you can even share it with others, where now there's wisdom and experience that comes from that. So that's where I look at it. You know, applied knowledge is where the real power comes in.
Speaker 2:So I agree with you that that is good. That is real good and, by the way, I like all that. You know I'm not going to go. This is not the platform for me to share my story. Most of the viewers here know my background and my story, but that ffa jacket was the game changer for me, trinnell, that blue and gold FFA jacket.
Speaker 2:When I put that jacket on and zipped it up, you didn't know that I came from a broken home. You didn't know that I had my dinner from a garbage can. I had $25 in my account when I went to college, or a 14 on my ACT. You knew none of that. That jacket I look just like everybody else. That means I had the same opportunity as everybody else. But, to your point, if I would have never applied what I knew, if I would have never have taken a risk and tried what I knew, if I'd have never been willing to take that first step back of resiliency, I'd have never had the opportunities that I've been granted to this day, the blessings that wait on the other side. I guarantee you, trinnell, that where you're at is not where you anticipated being. But I also believe that, and I I do. I sure hope I'm not putting words in your mouth, but I hope I'm right. I think I am. Something tells me you're an awful grateful person.
Speaker 3:You're awful blessed person because of the people that you've met in your life yes definitely on that and you spoke about opportunities, and that's one of the things that I've learned from sports I mean, you learn from what you just said is that you have to seize the opportunity, and there's two times that I was well. I have to seize the opportunity every time I get. But one of the things that really come to me is, you know, as I was sharing with you, I was actually playing on the varsity football team. You know, as I was sharing with you, I was actually playing on the varsity football team, but what happened is I will never. I always remember this, coach.
Speaker 3:I was out there on the practice field and I was on the scout team and I hit. Next thing I hear I was like freshman, get in. And so I'm trying it, and we had to go against the first team defense. And I'm out there and I'm in the huddle and the quarterback is like Trinnell, the ball is coming to you. And I'm like, okay, and I'm telling you, man, our defense was huge and so it was a sweep. So quarterback received the ball and he tossed it at me and I'm running to the outside as fast as I could. Well, I spread the defense apart and I seen a hole where I could just cut up and walk right into the end zone, and that's what I did and I never forget.
Speaker 3:The coach looked at me and was like man, this kid is good, and he moved me up to the varsity football team based off of that. But it's because I saw an opportunity. I was given an opportunity against the scout team to go against the first team defense, to do my best, and there are going to be people out there that are watching this. You're going to get an opportunity. Take the opportunity, seize in a moment. You may be afraid, because I was afraid.
Speaker 3:You had a big obstacle in front of you, but you have to believe in yourself and take the opportunity, because you never know when that opportunity is going to present you again.
Speaker 3:And when you do take that opportunity and to be able to seize that moment and to make the decision, then you can move your life to the next level level. And and I'm gonna say this about decide, because I was blessed by my assistant, who is also in the ffa and she is a teacher, a retired teacher, and it's something that I had to do with my life whenever I got injured, I had to decide and she told me the uh suffix of decide is simply to kill off. Whether it's homicide, suicide or pesticide, it means to kill off. So whenever you wake up in the morning and you have to make a decision, you have to decide. What are you going to kill off that's holding you back in order for you to go towards your future? Are you going to kill off them Self-limiting beliefs? Are you going to kill off the group of people that are being negative around you? What are you going to kill off in order to make the decision, to decide to do your best?
Speaker 2:Well that's good, your assistant said that.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, she broke it down to me about the word decide. So I'm like I'm going to use that because I had to make a decision Every day. I get up, I'm paralyzed from the neck down, so I have to make a decision every day to decide. Am I going to feel like I'm a burden and cry myself to sleep like I used to when my injury first happened, or am I going to decide to be thankful that God has given me an opportunity to continue to breathe the breath of life, that I've been given An opportunity to use my mind to the fullest, even though I can't use my body, my ability to be able to use what I have, rather than focusing on what I don't have? So I have to make that decision to decide to kill off that negativity in order to focus on the positivity that is awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so here's the thing. Okay, so you didn't make it into the NFL. You're still a pro, by the way. I just wanted you to know that. You know, think about it, people fear public speaking more than they fear dying. Right, look at what you're doing. You're like out here on this field in the Pro Bowl. You know you're playing the Super Bowl every day, inspiring other people. So to your point. I'm glad you killed off those negative voices that could have prevented you from sharing such an incredible testimony. Let's dive a little bit deeper in here, and not that I don't already have a page full of incredible wisdom that you've already poured into us, but I'm going to give you an opportunity to pour some more.
Speaker 2:So I like to ask the kids I said how many high schools are in Texas? Now, there's other people from all over the country watching this podcast and I don't know what the high schools are in every other state, but in Texas we have over 3,000 high schools. Now think about that for a second 3,000 high schools Every one of them are going to have a graduating class this year. That means that all these kids are going to get out. They're going to be looking for a job, scholarship or an opportunity.
Speaker 2:And so I always ask the kids what is your competitive edge? What is it that separates you from everybody else? It could be something as simple as a firm handshake, look them in the eye, say yes or no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am. It could be something as simple as saying thank you, but I believe that you got to have something, a competitive edge that kind of separates you from the competition. Trinnell, if you were coaching kids and you were telling them a little bit about life, kids, and you were telling them a little bit about life and I think the trinell effect, I think that's a competitive edge. I think live, live, live. I think that is a competitive edge. Is there anything else you would tell young people? Put this in place in your life, do this when you get out, and I guarantee it'll be a competitive edge yes, and it's called be about.
Speaker 3:It be about what you say you're gonna do, and I actually have a little chant that I do with athletes with other high schools and it's called be about it. Would you um like to help me out? Would you like to help me out? Would you like to help me out? Aaron?
Speaker 2:Of course I want to help you out. I'm not going to let my guests know.
Speaker 3:All right, all right. So here, this is what I want you to do, so I want you to say this with me Be about it.
Speaker 2:Be, about it Keep going, be about it, keep going, be about it, be about it, be about it, keep going, keep going, be about it. What Be about it, what Be about it, what Be about it, what?
Speaker 3:So now? So now I'm going to add something to that. As soon as I finish with it, I want you to say be about it. Okay, You're going to start it out, I'm going to count you down Three, two, one and you're going to start it off. I'm going to count you down Three, two, one and you're going to say be about it. And then I'm going to say something after Three, two, one.
Speaker 3:Be about it being the best woman or man. Be about it Doing the best that you can. Be about it Adding value to people's life. Be about it Ending hatred and even strife. Be about it Using your abilities. Be about it Ending hatred and even strife. Be about it Using your abilities. Be about it Treating everyone equally. Be about it Understanding your self-worth. Be about it. You have a purpose here on this earth. Be about it. Be the best version of you. Be about it Making it. Do what it do. Be about it Just wanted to get this off my chest. Be about it Making it. Do what it do. Be about it. Just wanted to get this off my chest. Be about it.
Speaker 2:You are amazing and don't forget to be about it, what Be about it, what Be about it.
Speaker 3:Exactly so. I just want to encourage everyone out there to have that competitive edge. Be about being the best person you can be. Be about using the opportunities you can to the fullest, because that's all I have ever done. That's. The only thing that separates me from everyone else is that I have decided to be about it, and I want you to be about it too.
Speaker 2:Thanks, trinnell. I appreciate that. You know I will not go through the rest of my day without saying be about it.
Speaker 3:Exactly See it's catchy. Be about it. Exactly Beautiful.
Speaker 2:Beautiful, beautiful. All right, let's talk about one last topic here I want to talk about. Again. All I'm doing is pouring more fuel on this incredible fire you've given us. We'll talk about leadership. I think our homes, our neighborhoods, our state and our country could sure use a lot more strong leaders. Trinnell, if you could pour into others the importance of leadership, being a leader, what would you tell them?
Speaker 3:To be a game changer, you have to take the lead, and lead stands for leadership, encouragement, accountability and discipline. Lead by example, have that common goal, have a goal with yourself, have a goal for yourself and your team and the people in your life. And you have to encourage, be a beacon of light, of hope, to be encouraging to people you know to be able to set goals and to reach that goal. But not only that. You have to again have that accountability, be responsible, do what you say you're going to do and respond.
Speaker 3:I like what I think Stephen Covey said. It's like responsibility and you put a hyphen between response and ability and it's your ability to respond to things and as being accountable. You have to be able to respond to things in a way to be able to help yourself and others. But also you got to have that discipline. You got to do it every day and you got to. You know again, like we said earlier, to decide you have to cut out all the things that's not going to get you to where you want to be and by doing that you're able to be a game changer. By taking the lead. Leadership, encouragement, accountability and discipline that's how we're going to change the game right there.
Speaker 3:In life, in our communities and, you know, in whatever we do.
Speaker 2:Told you. What did I tell y'all? I said we're just going to keep pouring it on and he's going to keep pouring it out. Guess what. That's what he's about. That's what he just did. Oh, man, trinnell, thank you so much. This is so good. I mean, I've got a whole page of notes here. Is there anything else you'd like to share? Anything else you'd like for people to know about life's journeys?
Speaker 3:and the importance of a healthy perspective. I'm telling you, um, your most valuable asset that you have is your mind. So it's going to be important to be able to guard your mind and to be able to train it in a way that you're able to use it to the fullest. And again, for me, I'm paralyzed from the neck down. I can't use my body to distract me. Only thing that I have is my mind. I have my faith, my family and my mind.
Speaker 2:So, again, protect your most valuable asset, utilize it to the fullest, which is your mind so, trinell, back in the day, when I used to work with the, the at-risk kids in the boot camp and with juvenile detention and some other programs, I used to ask the kids this question. I said if I gave you a water canteen, and I gave you a water faucet and I told you we were going to take a trip across the desert, I said what would you do with that canteen? And they'd all look at me like I was stupid and they said well, of course, mr Aaron, I'd fill up my canteen, I'd fill it to the brim, I'd drink as much water as I could, I'd get my shirt and get it wet. I said why would you do all that? And they said because I got to get across the desert.
Speaker 2:I said that's right, what do you know about deserts? And they said, well, they're hot, they're dry and you're going to need that. I said, well, how do you know that? I said you ever been to one? Well, no, but I know people that have and they've told me about it. I said, good, Guess what I know about life? It's a long, hot desert and this right here is your canteen.
Speaker 2:And you better fill it up with as much information as you can, because I'm telling you it's long and it's hard out there and you're going to need to have wisdom and discernment and all the tools up here in your tool belt to get through that desert of life. And they all say, well, I guess that kind of makes sense. I said, dang right, it makes sense. Now I'm going to get to tell them be about so, be about filling that canteen up yes, sir, definitely all right, trinell, I appreciate you so much and I appreciate your willingness to share.
Speaker 2:Trinnell, I appreciate you so much and I appreciate your willingness to share and, if y'all didn't catch it earlier, he just came off of a little bit of a sickness, so this was a real challenge to step up and deliver today and you did it exceptionally, by the way, and your assistant there, she's exceptional as well, and I just appreciate both of you and your willingness to help us today. Um, every guest gets a fun question at the end, trinnell, so you get a fun question too. All right, I want to know, mr Trinnell Walker, what is the best concert you've ever been to?
Speaker 3:oh man, it's been so long since I've been to a concert but I think, think I remember, man, when I was younger man, going to a New Edition concert. Man, I had never been to a concert before in my life and I went with my stepmom and it was a great concert and it was very, yeah, it was great. That's why I still remember it New.
Speaker 2:Edition. I remember New Edition. Look at you go. I loved it. That's the other thing I like about this podcast, trinell, is we get a whole spectrum, as you might imagine. I've got everything from country western to heavy metal. One on here that love pit bull I've heard everything so everything so awesome.
Speaker 3:What about you?
Speaker 2:Oh man, if you were to grab my my phone right now and look at my music category, I've got everything from Frank Sinatra, the contemporary Christian, to rock and roll, to a little R and B to a little. I mean I even got some old school run DMC rap in there. I got Jimmy Buffett, michael Bublé. I'm a diehard Bruce Springsteen fan, so I kind of like a little bit of everything.
Speaker 3:Oh, good deal, Good deal.
Speaker 2:Well, listen, let's wrap it up. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for stopping by. I meant the fact that you're willing to give us a little bit of your time. I meant the only thing we get to do with time is spend it, and the fact that you stopped by to share and listen to Trinnell. Just pour into us To share the Trinnell effect, to share live, to share lead. But I would say, you know, I think there's even something deeper there, and that's for Trinnell to share his testimony, and I appreciate his courageousness, his willingness. Trinnell, around our shop we have a saying that goes like this. It says when your values are clear, your choices are easy. When your values are clear, your choices are easy. The other thing that we say is that the essence of leadership is to plant trees under whose shades you may never sit and Trenel. Your willingness to share is planting a lot of great trees and there's going to be some mighty oaks one day because of what you're doing for us, thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen, until we meet again, go out and do something great for somebody. You'll feel good about it, and maybe our homes, community, state, country will be a better place to again go out and do something great for somebody. You'll feel good about it, and maybe our homes, community, state, country will be a better place to live, work and raise our kids because of it. We'll see you on the next episode of Growing Our Future. Everybody, take care Bye.
Speaker 1:We hope you've enjoyed this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast. This show is sponsored by the Texas FFA Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen agricultural science education so students can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. Learn more at mytexasffaorg.
