The official start of spring is this week, and for some in the U.S., it can’t come too soon. The vernal equinox not only marks a change in the seasons, but a transition in life as the dormancy of winter gives way to life blooming anew. Click the links below to read how these essayists are inspired by the coming of spring.

1. Beauty for Everyone
2. Hope Arrives on the Wind
3. The Dawn of a New Season
4. The Most Wonderful Rite of Spring
5. The Annual Cycle That Is Life

Some say the secret to being a good friend is to be a good listener. But beyond friendship, being a good listener is essential in other relationships, both personal and professional. In honor of Listening Awareness Month, listen carefully to what these essayists have to say about being a good listener.

1. Listening Is Powerful Medicine
2. Listening Shows Me the Way
3. Learning to Listen
4. Listening To Silence
5. Beyond the Noise

The poet James Russell Lowell said snow covers the land with “a silence deep and white.” In that silence comes time for reflection about all manner of things in life, including belief. Click the links below to learn what these essayists learned during the wonder of a snowfall.

1. The Hardest Work You Will Ever Do
2. Never Give Up on Macaroni and Snowflakes
3. An Appreciation of Life
4. Winter Brings Joy, Hope, and Strength
5. Snow Days

With Valentine’s Day approaching, pink and red flowers, cards, and candy are being sold in the name of love. As we consider all of the valentines in our lives—sweethearts, family, and even pets—this week, we are featuring a selection of essays from our book, This I Believe: On Love, that illustrate stories of the love we choose.

1. The Love I Choose
2. Deciding to Love Her
3. Love from Head to Toe
4. Love on Four Feet
5. A Walk in the Woods Together
6. The Friend Who Makes Me Complete

It was Longfellow who said “Into each life some rain must fall.” But sometimes we must endure more than just one bad day; there are true setbacks and obstacles that block our life’s path. The following essayists have found that sometimes significant challenges turn out to be opportunities in disguise.

1. My Grandmother’s Dicho
2. Feeding a Hunger
3. The Strange Blessing That Brought Me Home
4. Joy Cometh in the Morning
5. My Father Told Me I Was Fat

As the U.S. marks the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we offer a sampling of statements from essayists who were influenced by King’s work and words—both by people who witnessed his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, to those who were simply inspired by it.

1. The Power of Words
2. Finding New Pride In America
3. Dr. King’s Dream
4. This Is Our Mountaintop

“Family” is a great concept, but in practice it doesn’t always work in the picture-perfect version we idealize. Many times, we find that families are defined by more than blood, culture, or circumstance. Click the links below to read how these essayists built their beliefs in family.

1. My Family Tree
2. A Duty to Family, Heritage, and Country
3. The People Who Love You When No One Else Will
4. Love Lives through Them All
5. Dad’s Legacy

Have you made any resolutions? The coming of a new year often inspires people to make changes in their lives. Trying something new can be fun, exciting or daunting, and for these essayists, change even brought them something new in which to believe.

1. The Choice to Do It Over Again
2. Embracing the Unknown
3. Returning to What’s Natural
4. To Embrace Change
5. The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Another year has passed, and we all find ourselves reflecting on the previous year. At This I Believe, we have featured some beautiful personal stories about the beliefs that guide our lives. Click on the links below to revisit some of the most memorable essays from 2014.

1. The Way of Silence
2. Fry Bread
3. Treating Everyone As Family
4. Touching the Divine
5. A Life in Literature
6. The Noise of the Village

Tis the season for dashing through the shopping mall to find the perfect gift, and every item you buy brings an interaction with a store employee. Even during the busy holiday season, the cashiers, clerks, and servers hope you’ll give some thought to who they are and what they believe. Click the links below for a sampling.

1. Now That’s Service
2. A Transaction Between Fellow Citizens
3. What I Can Change
4. A New Work Ethic
5. Please Return Your Shopping Cart