BLOG – Page 2 – JohnCallister.com

Put Yourself in Our Shoes

I walked past a shoe shop which had a sign in the window which read, ‘Put yourself in our shoes’ I’ve thought about that since and wondered, What impact could that simple saying have, if before we got into arguments, fights or even wars, we first of all sat down and tried to put ourselves in the shoes of those who are opposing us.

Edward De Bono points out that we have a usual ‘argument’ or ‘adversarial’ thinking model in which each side seeks to attack the other. He recommends that opponents should try looking in the same direction. In other words, they put themselves in each other’s shoes.

Putting yourself in other peoples shoes totally changes the dynamic of how we look at differences.

If you’re in a conflict situation. Maybe before you go any further you should try looking at the situation through the eyes of your opponent. Try putting yourself in their shoes.

This script was for a radio ‘filler’ and was written and narrated by John Callister.

Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup: 60 sec radio script

When Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen completed their manuscript titled, Chicken Soup for the Soul, they just knew they had a winner on their hands. The problem was, book publishers to whom they submitted their work had didn’t share their enthusiasm. After fourteen months of trying, their agent said it couldn’t be sold – more than one hundred and forty publishers rejected the manuscript.

Undeterred, Mark and Victor went off to a Booksellers convention, still hopeful for their first ‘yes’.

After two and a half days of further rejections, on the afternoon of the third day, they eventually found someone willing to give it a try. But they were told they shouldn’t expect too much.

The rest is history. Today the ‘Chicken Soup’ series of over 250 titles has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide in more than 40 languages.

The next time I’m tempted to give up, I hope I can recall this story. I just might think again.

This script was for a radio ‘filler’ and was written and narrated by John Callister.

My Garden Robin

Anyone else have a garden Robin?

Meet my Garden Robin, whose favourite food is suet pellets. This little bird appears to have taken up residence in my back garden where I’ve provided a bird table and some feeders to try to ensure a continual supply of bird food.

I’ve read that Robins are territorial and that the bright colour may be used as a threat to rivals. I haven’t observed aggression of any kind but I know this Robin will interact with me in a way none of the other birds have ever done. Sometimes he appears to be quite fearless.

I discovered that the half coconut shell works well since he has somewhere to perch while grabbing a pellet. On the day I captured the photo of him perched on top of the bird table, one source of great amusement was that moments after this photo was snapped, he flew towards me and landed and sat on top of the camera lens. I was using a Nikon 70-200 which is 7 inches long, so he was literally sitting inches from my face. I’m not sure if he was trying to tell me something but it sure gave me a good laugh.

Remembering my Dad on this Father’s Day

It’s Father’s Day today (Sunday 19th June 2022) as I write this, and I have just returned from a visit to the cemetery where the remains of my father and mother are buried. It was a poignant visit, not least because Dad died on this day 23 years ago, 19th June, 1999, aged 81. As I look back, I’m forever grateful for loving parents and the ‘values’ they taught me.

I’m also reminded of the the Sunday just a few days before his death, when he knew he had just a short time left. In hospital, with his family at his bedside, he sat up in bed for the last time and announced to us, “I have peace perfect peace. I haven’t a care in the world. I’m ready to go.” That moment has remained with me and my three sisters who were present, ever since. None of us are likely to ever forget it. It’s something all the money that could be accumulated during a lifetime couldn’t buy. Dad displayed an eternal, spiritual perspective throughout my lifetime. How he faced death says a lot about the way he lived; and the way he died.

Dad, enjoying time with his granddaughter; my eldest daughter, Chloe, now married with two children of her own.

Dad when he was in his forties, father to three girls and one boy (me).

As I took a stroll through the cemetery this afternoon, however, I was reminded that not everyone had the privilege of having a dad who lived a full and long life, and then passed away peacefully. I saw too many tombstones remembering fathers’ who were taken from this earth as relatively young men, many during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Children had to grow up without a father, and family and friends were left devastated and heartbroken. For many, that deep level of pain and grief continues to this day, even after decades. So, as I reflect on this Father’s Day, my heart goes out to those who are suffering through loss, and my thoughts and prayers are with them.