Whether you think life is a highway, or you prefer the road less taken, maps can help us determine where we are and how to get where we want to go. Click the links below to explore how the beliefs of these essayists have been influenced by maps, both physical and imagined.
For many people, farming was something our families did many generations ago. For others, it’s still a way of life. And for some people, farming is a metaphor for life and a source of strong belief. Click the links below to read how farming has had an effect on these This I Believe essayists.
The original This I Believe series included a number of literary icons of the 20th century. Their mastery of words helped them to craft intriguing essays about their personal beliefs. Click the links below to learn what James Michener, Pearl Buck, Aldous Huxley and other writers had to say.
Not all presents are wrapped in pretty paper with bows and ribbons. Some are gifts of knowledge or wisdom that are passed from one person to another. Click the links below to read what these essayists have learned from family and friends.
Blended marriages can create unique challenges for stepchildren and stepparents. But the rewards can be as powerful and as strong as any familial relationship. Please click the links below to read how these essayists navigated the tricky waters of their blended families.
We may never know the long-term effects of doing good deeds or cheering up a stranger with a small act of kindness. Whether spontaneous or planned, acts of kindness can be contagious and set off chain reactions of more people being kind to one another. We hope these essays on kindness might spark small random acts of kindness from you.
This week fourteen years ago, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi, the monster storm couldn’t break the spirit of Gulf Coast residents. Click the links below to see how the people, even when faced with disaster, were inspired by the blessings that came in the wake of the storm.
For many people, fishing is a sport. For others, it’s an excuse to spend some quiet time in nature. And for some people, fishing is a metaphor for life and the source of belief. Click the links below to read some fishing stories from This I Believe essayists.
Many say that teaching is the most noble profession in the world. And a lot of teachers also say it’s the world’s hardest. Teaching can be fun and invigorating, challenging and exhausting, all at the same time. Click the links below to learn how teaching has inspired lifelong beliefs for these essayists.
How long does a moment last? In reality, it’s just one specific point in time. But in our hearts and minds, a moment can last forever. Click the links below to read how just one moment has shaped some deeply held beliefs.
When Terri Maue's father was near his death, his family was at his side, asking what they could do for him. It was then that he uttered the words that have become a deep-seated belief for Ms. Maue. Click here to read her essay.
