Brian Williams—You Are Enough

On  Oprah Winfrey’s last show, she made a statement, “you are enough”.  When I heard these words, it was a reaffirmation that I had been believing and telling clients since 1979. I was reminded of this when I reflected on the Brian Williams matter. I think that his error was not believing that he was “enough”. No.  You are not going to hear any psychobabble from me.  Family therapists do not believe in giving psychiatric diagnosis’.  Everyone is okay.  I am not sure that Brian with all his success, thought that he was enough and okay. My meeting with David Brinkley was a mind opening experience.

Chet Huntley and David Brinkley were my favorite news casters.  I listened to them daily. When I was in college, David Brinkley came to the University of Texas at Austin and gave a speech.  I went to hear him and talk to him.  It felt like he had given us a “hit of LSD”.  I was so shocked by his personal views on matters.  When he read the news at night, he was impersonal. At the meeting and in answering questions, he gave his opinion. I was never the same and I never listened to news in the same way. Hearing his opinion was so mind blowing.   David did not have to build himself up.  He,  in his presence and with his news stature,  was enough. He was the “star”.  Today, we have the internet and social media.  People feel they have to be more.  They do and say outrageous things.  News men are going on talk shows.  Men and women are exposing their private parts on the internet.  People have lost their minds. They must make one feel that just being a news man is not enough.  I am reminded of something that my speech teacher told me out of the blue one day in a note.

Criticism does much, but encouragement does more.  Encouragement after criticism is like a rainbow after a spring shower.  Brian Williams, “you are enough”.  You will come back.  Come back and be the best Brian Williams that you can be. That has always been enough.  Your show had the feel of the old Chet Huntley and David Brinkley atmosphere.  Perhaps you and Lester Holt can revive that feel.  God loves you and you are too precious to lose.  Just know that “you are enough.”