This I Believe : Life Lessons

by Gediman, Dan; Gediman, Mary Jo; Gregory, John

• ISBN13: 9781118074541
• ISBN10: 1118074548
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-10-04
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Inspiring life wisdom from people of all ages-based on the This I Believe radio program The popular This I Believe series, which has aired on NPR and on Bob Edwards' shows on Sirius XM Satellite and public radio, explores the personal beliefs and guiding principles by which Americans live today. This book brings together treasured life lessons of people from all walks of life. Whether it's learning the power of saying hello or how courage comes with practice, their intimate reflections will inspire, move, and encourage you. Filled with the valuable insights distilled from a wide range of personal experiences, This I Believe: Life Lessons is a perfect gift-for others or for yourself. Includes extraordinary essays written by "ordinary" people who share the story of an important lesson they have learned about life Shares a wide range of beliefs and experiences from a diverse group of contributors, including a physician, a roller derby queen, a corporate executive, a homeless person, and many others Based on the popular This I Believe radio series and thisibelieve.org website No matter what your age or circumstances, this book will give you valuable food for thought and important new insights on how others have learned from life's challenges.

Author Biography

DAN GEDIMAN is executive director of This I Believe, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that engages people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief have been featured on public radio since 2005. Gediman is the coeditor of the New York Times bestseller This I Believe, as well as This I Believe II, This I Believe: On Love, and This I Believe: On Fatherhood.

JOHN GREGORY is editorial director and MARY JO GEDIMAN is outreach director of This I Believe, Inc.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

The Power of Hello (Howard White).

The Art of Being a Neighbor (Eve Birch).

A Kind and Generous Heart (Christine Little).

Make It Do (Patricia Anderson).

Grace Is a Gift (Laura Durham).

The Sisterhood of Roller Derby (Erin Blakemore).

Caring Makes Us Human (Troy Chapman).

Satisfaction With a Job Well Done (Nancy Pieters Mayfield).

The World Is Imperfect (Suzanne Cleary).

Peace Can Happen (Christine Kingery).

A Priceless Lesson in Humility (Felipe Morales).

Finding Out What’s Under Second Base (Lex Urban).

Accomplishing Big Things in Small Pieces (William Wissemann).

I Have to See the World (Veena Muthuraman).

Deciding to Live (Kij Johnson).

Walking in the Light (Paul Thorn).

The Perfect Merge (Lori Vermeulen).

Listening Is Powerful Medicine (Alicia M. Conill).

Semper Fidelis (Andrew Paradis).

Our Vulnerability Is Our Strength (Colin Bates).

Patriotic Ponderings (Joan Skiba).

Opening the Door of Mercy (Karin Round).

The True Value of Life (Sudie Bond Noland).

An Invitation to Dialogue (Madhukar Rao).

Homeless But Not Hopeless—A Man Finds His Soul (Les Gapay).

The Power of Sleep (Anne Hoppus).

Where Wildflowers Grow (Maureen Crane Wartski).

A Could Be Wrong (Allan Barger).

Everyone Is Included (Catherine McDowall).

A Lesson I Hold Dear (Kara Gebhart Uhl).

A Taste of Success (Geoffrey Canada).

A Grace of Silence (Andrew Flewelling).

Do Talk to Strangers (Sabrina Dubik).

Finding Our Common Ground (Robin Mize).

Bus Chick’s Manifesto (Carla Saulter).

Right Now Matters (Samantha Jacobs).

Seeing with the Heart (Stephanie Disney).

Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace (Dani Weathers).

The Triumph of Kindness (Josh Stein).

Time to Walk the Dog (Betsy Buchalter Adler).

Yankee Go Home (Rita Barrett).

The Courage to Change the Things I Can (Mark Olmsted).

To Hear Your Inner Voice (Christine Todd Whitman).

Keep It Real (Rose Eiesland Foster).

Important Strangers (Leslie Guttman).

My Parents as Friends (Bhavani G. Murugesan).

A Good Neighborhood (Jeff Nixa).

Believing in People (Rebecca Klott).

Finding the Common Ground (Larry Chaston).

Just Say No (Jessica Paris).

Courage Comes With Practice (Theresa MacPhail).

Adapting to the Possibilities of Life (Donald Rosenstein).

Why Are We Here? (Dale Long).

A Drive to Achieve the Extraordinary (Juliet Frerking).

Inviting the World to Dinner (Jim Haynes).

Finding the Flexibility to Survive (Brighton Earley).

The Act of Giving Thanks (Michelle Lee).

Sally’s Monday (Patricia James).

If You Don’t Do It, Who Will? (Jodi Webb).

Here Comes (the Real) Santa Claus (Becky Sun).

Appendix: How to Write Your Own This I Believe Essay.

Acknowledgments.