Featured Essays

The essays in this category have been featured as our Essay of the Week.

January 22, 2024

Misspelling the Word “Of”

When Jason Oda was in the first grade, he had an experience that has stuck with him into adulthood. As he has grown older, he has realized the importance of questioning the rules and traditions of the past and not accepting "just because" as a valid answer to life's questions.
March 10, 2023

Connecting to a Global Tribe

Matt Harding has been to 70 countries to dance–badly–in front of a camera, and videos of his travels are an Internet sensation. Harding believes interacting with so many people is challenging his primitive brain to see more of what unites humanity.
February 7, 2023

Treating Everyone As Family

Madeleine Urbaszewski wasn't born in New Orleans, but she has called it home since moving there in the fourth grade. Because she has experienced warmth and friendliness from the people there, including perfect strangers, Ms. Urbaszewski has come to believe in treating everyone like family.
December 27, 2022

The Designated Celebrator

Holiday gatherings mean long hours for Melinda Shoaf: polishing the silver, hanging the decorations, cooking the big dinner. But the Memphis homemaker believes her family deserves a good celebration.
December 16, 2022

It’s Better to Give…and Receive

Like many of us, Lisa Dunlap had always heard the adage that it's better to give than to receive. But having been on the receiving end of many acts of kindness, Ms. Dunlap has come to believe that while it is indeed good to give, it's also good to receive.
November 21, 2022

Rice for Thanksgiving

Many people have a favorite Thanksgiving dish. It’s not turkey or pumpkin pie for Jocelyn Fong, but something that combines American tradition with her father’s Chinese heritage. Fong believes her simple dish helps her connect with her mix of cultures.
November 13, 2022

The Power of Hello

When he was a child, Howard White’s mother taught him the importance of greeting people. Now an executive at Nike, White believes everyone he meets deserves to have their presence and their humanity acknowledged. For him that begins with “hello.”
November 4, 2022

We Will See the Job Through

Iraq War veteran Michael J. Whitehead shares some of the lessons he learned on the battlefield in Iraq, about the strength of the Iraqi people, and the importance of leaving the country in better shape than he found it.
August 8, 2022

Time to Walk the Dog

When Betsy Buchalter Adler gets too absorbed by her legal work, her dog, Ollie, reminds her of what’s truly important: a good, long walk outdoors. Adler believes Ollie helps her live in the moment and embrace the small, unexpected delights in the world.