This I Believe

Inspiring essays on love shared by men, women, and young people from all walks of life In the 1950's, Edward R. Murrow's radio program, This I Believe, gave voice to the feelings and treasured beliefs of Americans around the country. Fifty years later, the popular update of the series, which now continues on Bob Edwards Weekend on public radio, explores the beliefs that people hold dear today. This book brings together essays on love from ordinary people far and wide whose sentiments and stories will surprise, inspire, and move you. Includes extraordinary essays written by "ordinary" Americans on love in its many manifestations-from romantic love and love of family to love of place and love of animals Paints a compelling portrait of the diverse range of beliefs and experiences related to what is perhaps the most powerful and complex of human emotions-love Based on the popular This I Believe radio series and thisibelieve.org Web site By turns funny and profound, yet always engaging, This I Believe: On Love is a perfect gift to give or to keep.

Introduction 1 The Love I Choose 5 Jessica Mercer Zerr They Built a Family 8 Laura J. K. Chamberlain A New Kind of Love 11 Rachel Wegner In My Father’s Tears 14 Lawrence Kessenich The Beauty of Aging 17 Debi Knight Kennedy The Gift of Being 20 Lorraine Kelly Gray Hairs and Wrinkles 23 Fabiola Piña Love is Stronger Than Death 26 Opal Ruth Prater Come to My Table 29 Shannon Lee Denney My Best Friend 32 Raymond Allinger Leave the Light On 35 Marianne Rogowski How We Love Our Enemies 38 David Waln What We Tried to Do 41 Louise V. Gray The Most Powerful Medicine 44 Ross Hays The Value of Your Life 47 Jenna Greer Hand-Knit Socks 50 Debra Bronow Deciding to Love Her 53 Amy Simmons Farber Love on Four Feet 56 Sarah Culp Searles A Walk in the Woods Together 59 Cindy Lollar Sam’s Valentine 62 Kathy Heffernan To Dwell in Possibility 65 Patricia W. Bennett Duck Blind Lessons 69 James Johnson First Friend 72 Susan Senator Amazing Grace 75 Korinthia Klein Love Lives through Them All 78 Tanuj Bansal Brotherly Love 81 Katie Weiner Old Love 84 Jane R. Martin Pink Moments 87 Connie Spittler Love Like a Child 90 Mary Lineberger A Death He Freely Accepted 93 Greg Gatjanis The Blessings of Step 96 Janet Jayne Here’s to You, Merrie 99 Jordyn Maeda God Knows about Sacrifice 102 Lynne Scott Love is a Verb 105 Sarah Stadler The Friend Who Makes Me Complete 108 Penny Hagin A Magical Impact 111 Jeremy Green Put on Your Heavy Coat 115 Ellen Graf God is in Her Hand 118 John Samuel Tieman A Gift of Unique Beauty 121 Cynthia Chauhan Four Sisters in Life and Death 124 Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow My Family Tree 127 Brenda Huff Staying Close 130 Ginny Taylor Love on Aisle Three 133 David Wuescher Swing-Shift Kisses 136 Scott Saalman The Courage to Let Go 139 Gale A. Workman All the Mothering You Do 142 Patrice Vecchione Life is a Battle 145 Elliana Grace I Believe in You 148 Julie Chinitz Show and Tell 151 Ann Erik A Tender Lullaby 154 Lee Reeves The Yellow House 157 Julie M. Sellers A Powerful Act of Love 160 Susan Hall Pennies from Heaven 163 Reg Stark Who We Really Are Inside 166 Matthew Schmidt Creation is the Creator 169 Vicki Watson The Power of Friendship 172 Nadia Ann Henderson To Love the Person in Front of Me 175 Karla Gergen Love from Head to Toe 178 Lorena Templeton Querns Made by Hand 181 Mary Mrugalski A Dog’s Life 184 Fred Flaxman Appendix: How to Write Your Own 187 This I Believe Essay Acknowledgments 189