This I Believe Tuesday

This I Believe started out as a radio show, then moved into books, and now has moved onto the internet.  It is a movement to get people to express what they believe in, their core values, and the stories behind them.

Our Common Book at Virginia Tech this year is This I Believe II.  I absolutely love this book!  It is a collection of short essays, giving you a glimpse into 75 individuals' lives and personal philosophies.  We are finding ways to integrate the book into our daily work at the university, which I have been finding very rewarding.

So I have decided to try and do a This I Believe Tuesday... putting out there what I believe for the current time and situations that I have encountered in my recent history.

So to start this first one off...

This I Believe - I believe that everyone has a story, a story worth knowing.  

Recently in my class, I assigned a paper in which the students had to write their story.  It was as simple as that.  They could choose what they wrote about, how they wrote it, and what they expressed about themselves in their story.  I was fascinated by what my students had to say.  Had I not had them complete this assignment, my knowledge of these individuals would have been just barely scratching the surface.  These are people who have experienced difficult childhoods, poverty, health conditions, loss of family members, living in different cultures, and so on.  They each had a very unique story... a unique story that is worth knowing.  I am honored that they were willing to share their stories, and now I hope to find ways to share my story with them.

What's YOUR story?  What do YOU believe??