Jay O'Callahan: The Power of Storytelling

NASA hires a story teller to tell their 50 year story.

His story about Armstrong's moon landing was compelling, but I connected more with the one about Casals and the young cellist. Casals asks the cellist to play this and that, the cellist is mortified at his mistakes, and mentions the evening to Casals years later.

Casals tells the now more experienced cellist that he wasn't noticing the mistakes, he was noticing the things he did right and the things he did remarkably. Only idiots point out nothing but mistakes, it's up to us to notice and celebrate the beauty.

This has been a lesson for me that I've been learning for years, slowly, that when I see a story or some other creation, appreciate it first for the intent and sincerity. If the context requires it, then certainly provide constructive criticism, but don't let the criticism hide the essence.