The hot, thick air of summer provides the perfect breeding ground for thunderstorms. And in the driving rain and brilliant lightning, some people find the flash of inspiration. Click the links below to read what these essayists believe about summer storms.

1. Discovery in a Thunderstorm
2. Behold the Power of Storms
3. The Storms That Define Our Lives
4. Heaven’s Light
5. A Part of the Magic

What do parents hope to teach their children? Not the “sit up straight” or “eat your vegetables” messages, but the deeper lessons for a life well-lived. Click the links below to read the messages these parents are passing from one generation to the next.

1. A Legacy Of Integrity
2. To Be The Best Humans We Can Be
3. Being Yourself
4. Leave the Light On
5. Lessons From A Full And Useful Life

Monty Python’s Michael Palin has said, “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected for the rest of my life.” There’s nothing like a good trip to see the sites, meet new people, and generally refresh the spirit. Click the links below to discover what these essayists believe about their travels.

1. Travelling into the Lives of Others
2. I Have to See the World
3. Mapquest
4. Yankee, Go Home
5. Inviting the World to Dinner

When the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Many essayists for This I Believe share that dedication to the principles on which our country was created. Click the links below to see how a former President, a renowned comic book artist, and others explore their beliefs in freedom, democracy, and government.

1. I Help Make Government Work
2. Finding Security In Fundamental Freedoms
3. A Public Man
4. That Old Piece Of Cloth
5. Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness

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.

1. A Kind and Generous Heart
2. The Power of Hello
3. Everyone Is Included
4. Peace Can Happen
5. Make It Do

It’s nearly the end of basketball season, and baseball season is in full swing. But you don’t have to play sports in front of a national audience to learn life lessons that come from physical activity and competition. Click the links below to read the beliefs of these essayists who have a passion for sports.

1. The Perfect Rebound
2. You May Say I’m a Dreamer
3. Be a Good Teammate
4. Finding Out What’s Under Second Base
5. Old Socks and Bits of String

The long road of recovery can include deep and thoughtful introspection by those battling addiction. Through their essays, several contributors share their inspiring beliefs and experiences.  Click the links below to read their statements.

1. Living in Manageable Moments
2. The Serenity to Change the Things I Can
3. I Will Take My Voice Back
4. Twice I Sought Death
5. There Is No Blame, There Is Only Love

The wedding vows encourage the couple to remain faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health. The bonds of love between spouses can offer strength and hope regardless of the challenge a marriage may face. Click the links below to read how these couples are inspired by their love for each other.

1. Semper Fidelis
2. God Knows About Sacrifice
3. The Value of Your Life
4. A Walk in the Woods Together
5. Staying Close

It’s amazing the effect that one simple act of kindness can have both on the giver and the receiver. Greeting a stranger with “hello” or letting a fellow driver merge ahead of you may not change the world, but it can make living in that particular moment more pleasant.

1. The Power of Hello
2. Grace Is a Gift
3. Opening the Door of Mercy
4. The Triumph of Kindness
5. The Perfect Merge

At times of loss, feelings of grief can be overwhelming. But from the crucible of that pain, we can learn more about ourselves, and about how we want to continue living in the world. Click the links below to read what these essayists discovered about the grief they experienced.

1. A Way to Honor Life
2. Motherhood Is a Sacred Gift
3. The Hardest Work You Will Ever Do
4. The Give-and-Take of Grief
5. Peaceful in My Grief