TO BE THE Change
ONE MUST INSPIRE
Change
by Maria Savoy
W
hen John Schalter and Carrie
Hall-Schalter walk into a
room, there is a calming
presence of genuine kindness that enters
with them, a peaceful confidence that
draws you in.
Imagine going through life knowing that
you have it within yourself to change the
world. That by being kind, compassionate,
and having the courage to step out of your
comfort zone, you can actually make a
difference. That is how John and Carrie live
their lives every single day.
I first met Carrie at an event; during our
conversation she asked me what I did. I
told her I owned a women’s publication
that features inspiring articles to empower
women. As we talked, she became more
intrigued and said “I bet my husband
would love to write for you.” I thought
to myself, then asked, “what does your
husband do?” Her answer made me smile.
“He’s an attorney,” she explained. A
thought quickly ran through my mind like
a neon sign scrolling across, What! No! It’s
a publication about inspiration! Then she
quickly followed it with “and a life coach.”
I laughed and replied, “An attorney? Who’s
a life coach?” She smiled with a nod.
A couple of days later I met John, and,
true to what Carrie had said, John is a
true inspiration. As he spoke, I found
myself mesmerized by what he had to say.
He talked about helping others through
kindness, encouragement, and compassion;
about transformation and the ability that all
of us have to change the world. He drew
me in and I remember listening intently,
hanging on every word. He told me about
a troubled teen he had been working with,
and how this teen made one bad decision
that would change his live forever and
ended up going to jail. I could instantly
see how this truly bothered John as he saw
so much potential and good in this young
man. John knew he was more than his
circumstance. But what sticks with me most
about that story is that John continued to
go see and council him even while in jail.
“The best way to
find yourself is to
lose yourself in the
service of others.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
HELPING OTHERS
COMES NATURALLY
John, a writer, has been writing an article
in Eydis magazine for two years as a life
coach. He does it in a question and answer
format, helping thousands of people who
read his articles. About a year ago, John
wrote an article on forgiveness that fell
into the hands of a local judge here in
Michigan. This article had such an effect on
her that she asked if she could make copies
and distribute it to some of the parents
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