This I Believe

When she was young, Mary Curran Hackett's father gave her and her siblings frequent speeches about the importance of perseverance. What surprised her as an adult was how much he lived his "never give up" message toward her when she needed him the most.

A chance encounter in a coffee shop introduced writer Rachel Richardson to a man who had many stories to tell. Ms. Richardson came to understand that everyone has a story, and our lives can be enriched by listening to the stories of others.

Kim O'Connell's mother is Vietnamese, and her father is American. But since she was born and raised in the U.S., her mother insisted that her daughter be "Americanized" and only speak English. Now, Ms. O'Connell believes that learning her mother's native tongue can help her connect to the other half of her heritage.

This week we feature two This I Believe essays from different eras inspired by issues of racial injustice in the United States. From 1953, we'll hear an essay from journalist and author Will Thomas, an African American man so disgusted with how he was treated that he elected to renounce his citizenship. And from 2015, high school English teacher Kate Hutton will talk about how her students found To Kill a Mockingbird as contemporary as the daily news.

Several years ago, when a patient gave Chris Porter a long stare, he thought the man was judging him because of his race or his profession. In reality, the incident taught Porter himself an important lesson about prejudging people.

In-laws have a reputation for being overbearing, pushy, and controlling. However, Judi Russell received some wise advice from her mother-in-law, and she tries to heed that advice every day.

When Joel Boutin served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania, he enjoyed living a simple life. After returning to the United States and once again getting caught up in the cultural norms of daily living, he came to realize he would be happier and healthier living more simply in a very tiny house.

When Natasha Sajé was a young college student, she asked a poetry professor if she had any talent. He kindly told her no; however, she was not dissuaded. After attending other poetry workshops and writing groups, Ms. Sajé has come to believe that everyone has talent—and everyone should pursue their passions.

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we will let you hear the first 10 This I Believe essays that aired on NPR back in 2005. Essayists include Isabel Allende, John Updike, Colin Powell, Brian Greene, and Kay Redfield Jamison.

Emily Schmitt Lavin has made a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches in her life, and she admits that a majority of them had one burned side. When she realized it was because she didn't always give the task her full attention, a deeper philosophy for living was born.

James Downey has heard the adage "forgive and forget." But when it comes to the man who killed his father, Downey believes it's easier for him to deny this man's existence and forget his name.

Famed actress and drama teacher Uta Hagen turned to great artists from Michelangelo and Rembrandt to Shaw and Shakespeare to find inspiration and direction in her life.

As a father, David Westwood has found that life isn't so complicated when deciding on the very basics of life that need to be taught to our children. For Westwood, one of those basics is that we must learn self-respect before we can gain respect for others.

It was when Molly Walter was fourteen years old that one of her fondest memories was created when she heard a song on the radio. Now, she believes that listening to the randomness of songs on the radio provides an opportunity for creating—and reliving—great memories.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Ralph Bunche found that almost all of his beliefs came from the simple lessons he learned as a child from his grandmother.