Stories From The Wayside

A Personal Account of Grief and the Healing Power of Nature

On this week’s episode of Stories by the Wayside, Jon is joined by someone who lived in Kings Cross in the 1990s. Her time in the Cross is embedded in her long history as an accomplished journalist, author, and advocate for sustainable living. This conversation taps into the magic of unplanned moments, her obsession with whales, processing grief after family tragedy and the power of nature to heal. If you’d like to hear more stories from the wayside, be sure to Subscribe to our Inner Circle: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/ [https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/]  Stories by the Wayside has been made in conjunction with MIK Made.

From 16 years old travelling the world by ship to a lifeline commitment to green space preservation & conservation

On this week’s episode of Stories by the Wayside, Jon is joined by the life and memories of a man who has a real penchant for adventure. He set sail at only 16, and travelled the world on a ship, following the sun for many years. His tales are both vast and intimate.   From marrying at Wayside in the 1980s, to his deep commitment to preserving the green spaces around Sydney, our conversation touches upon the significance of community, the essence of open spaces for mental health, and the delicate balance between loneliness and solitude.   He met Rev Graham Long, while he was selling the Big Issue, and Graham’s commitment to buying the magazine from him week after week, led him to Wayside.  At first, he was a visitor, and now he's a friend. If you’d like to hear more stories from the wayside, be sure to Subscribe to our Inner Circle: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/ [https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/]  Stories by the Wayside has been made in conjunction with MIK Made.

“Loneliness is the Leprosy of the West” | The woman behind the story of Wayside’s uncollected ashes

On this week’s episode of Stories from the Wayside, Jon speaks with someone who inspires and challenges many with  her intellectual curiosity, her honesty and her rare ability to tell complex, crazy and compelling human stories. She’s always been drawn to stories of vulnerability, and to people who live on the edges.  A few years ago, Jon wrote to his Inner Circle about the urns I have sitting in my office – cremated ashes of people who have died on our streets, sitting unclaimed, contested, or forgotten. The woman you’re going to hear from today took it upon herself to learn a little about the lives of three of them. Read the story here: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/the-unclaimed-the-ashes-left-waiting-in-sydneys-wayside-chapel [https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/24/the-unclaimed-the-ashes-left-waiting-in-sydneys-wayside-chapel]  As a journalist, she’s explored the lives of the famous and the notorious, and widely covered social justice issues, but it’s her research and writing on loneliness that we unpack today– as it’s been a touchstone for our strategic work at Wayside.  If you’d like to hear more stories from the wayside, be sure to Subscribe to our Inner Circle: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/ [https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/]  Stories by the Wayside has been made in conjunction with MIK Made.

Life in Kings Cross during the peak of the AIDS crisis

On this week’s episode of Stories from the Wayside, Jon speaks to a  good friend and a resident of Kings Cross for 30 years.  He served for seven years on the board of Wayside Chapel and is currently chair for the NeuRA Foundation (Neuroscience Research Australia) an independent, not for profit research institute, looking to address mental health in creative ways.  He grew up in a home surrounded by mental illness and violence. He wears scars from years of school yard bullying, as a young gay man, in a white macho, rural community in the 1980s. His 20s were chaos, fueled by anxiety and drug addiction.  Decades later after getting back on his feet, he wanted to help others and got involved with Wayside. If you’d like to hear more stories from the wayside, be sure to Subscribe to our Inner Circle: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/ [https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/]  Stories by the Wayside has been made in conjunction with MIK Made.

“It’s ok not to be ok” | The Psychology of Happiness & How We Are Wired Towards Empathy

On this week’s episode of Stories from the Wayside, Jon speaks to a clinical psychologist, author and public speaker. In this far-reaching conversation – Jon and his guest discuss modern masculinity, what team sport can teach you about life,  tips on being a better listener and getting a good night’s sleep.  This guest devotes much of his working life to ensuring people are at their best, which can be pretty challenging, when you yourself suffer from clinical depression. They discuss how wanting to be happy all the time is ‘absurd’ and how a good life is about generosity, volunteering, and connection. If you’d like to hear more stories from the wayside, be sure to Subscribe to our Inner Circle: https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/ [https://www.waysidechapel.org.au/inner-circle/]  Stories by the Wayside has been made in conjunction with MIK Made.