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Your Inspirational Stories
These stories were written by people like you. Read how their lives were changed for the better by adopting positive values. Be inspired by them.
Running School
Growing up, I always enjoyed school and the process of learning. I was a non-athletic ‘nerd’, whose only exercise was running up to my room at the end of my school day to read a book. I carried the deadly ‘teacher’s pet’ stigma that resulted in extra mentoring from the teachers, and brutal teasing from classmates. Nonplused, I continued to enjoy my moments of being... MORE
Values:
MY SONS' INITIATIVES
My two sons, Miguel (15) and Kristian (11), are in high and elementary school respectively. I have been teaching them on how to preserve the environment. Aside from the values they learned from their schools and from our own home, I teach them to love God above all and His creations. I have been telling them that if they will not preserve the environment in their childhood...soon the next gener... MORE
Values:
STEWARDSHIP
Peyton's 8th Birthday
When my daughter Peyton was 7, she decided that she wanted to be a "Change Bandit" for the Duke Children's Hospital annual donation radio-thon. She enjoyed raising money to help the sick children in the hospital, and she hit up everyone she knew for loose change. In a short period of time, she donated more than $200 in coins. When she turned 8, she decided that she wanted to raise money for the... MORE
Values:
APPRECIATION
DEDICATION
GENEROSITY
STEWARDSHIP
ExtendYourself
My mother died twice in August 2005-- once on her 75th birthday at a crowded restaurant, surrounded by her closest family members-- and finally, the next day at a hospital. Eight months later, I began to come out of the fog of grief and depression to find a new purpose for my life.
Like many of my generation, I had lived only for myself-- traveling, acquiring possessions, rising to a positio... MORE
Values:
COURAGE
SACRIFICE
INSPIRATION
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
MOTIVATION
SHARING
Miracle in Disguise
A 66-year-old male in relatively good health and no risk factors for heart disease came to me with a sudden onset of signs and symptoms of a heart problem. After he was diagnosed and treated, walked past me and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more.
I asked him what he had on his mind that he wanted me to know. He said six months ago his grandson who lives out of state and who... MORE
Values:
LOVE
TRUST
VISION
SOUL
CAREBIKE
Our oldest daughter is severely disabled. My wife, my younger daughter and I cared for Megan 24/7 for over twenty years. Two years ago, Megan moved to a nearby facility that appears better able to meet her needs. That decision was emotionally involved enough to require some family counseling. The lady we spoke to convinced us to give it a try by explaining that in letting Megan move, all ou... MORE
Values:
INGENUITY
Lean on Us
Ashley Craig is a student at Sussex Middle School in Sussex, New Jersey. A year or so ago she noticed how much her parents were spending on school supplies for her and her siblings. She knew that there were students in our district that could not possibly afford these.
Trying to figure out how to help those others she came up with the idea of donating items to our school. She asked friends ... MORE
Values:
GIVING BACK
The Search for Real Food
When Hai started college, he weighed over 250 pounds, healthy food choices were difficult for him, and he was emotionally distraught. However, when he left home for college, he was able for the first time to start taking his life and weight into his own hands. He started by shopping at a local farmer's market, an experience that inspired him profoundly. The idea that a farmer's market represent... MORE
Values:
ACHIEVEMENT
STEWARDSHIP
A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way
New neighbors are building their "dream house" on our street. They had sent a note to everyone introducing themselves when the construction started a year ago, but we had not met them yet. We bought a small plastic basket, filled it with candy and attached it to the temporary fence with a note saying: "Welcome to the neighborhood, your home is beautiful and the workers have been exceptionally c... MORE
Values:
COURTESY
FRIENDSHIP
Grandma Knows Best
When I was a child, I stayed with my grandmother a lot of the time while my mother was at work. One day some money problems started to arise for her and her husband. They needed a little more income so she decided that she was going to go sing at the nearby retirement home. So I had to go with her. I wasn't sure about it at first, but as soon as my grandmother actually convinced me to get on... MORE
Values:
SHARING
Duerme Con Los Angeles
All summer, I waited apprehensively for the letter. Through the hot days in June and sticky days in July, I ran out front to the mailbox and returned inside empty-handed and disappointed. After what felt like years, the crisp white envelope sealed with a blue Hofstra University crest finally arrived. No, this wasn't the letter declaring my acceptance or rejection to the University ' that had... MORE
Values:
PATIENCE
REACHING OUT
Little Things Still Mean A Lot
Recently, I experienced a wonderful lesson in how little things still mean a lot. It has always been tempting for one to believe "My life makes no difference" or "What impact do I have on the world? I'm just one person. No one notices me." This past spring I got a head's up, which reminded me of why Sunday School lessons, for example the Parable of the Good Samaritan, remain relevant and timele... MORE
Values:
RIGHT CHOICES
Kindness at the Vet
In tenth grade, I began volunteering at a veterinary hospital that was run by a family friend in order to get experience for what I thought would be my future job. As it turns out; the experience I gained at the hospital taught me the opposite: that my future was not in veterinary medicine. However, there is one particular Saturday morning that taught me something maybe more important. The hos... MORE
Values:
TEACHING BY EXAMPLE
Appreciate the Unappreciated
My 19 year old daughter was the victim of an assault in December of 2008. This was a very traumatic event, but because of her inner strength she rose above it. As a victim she was potentially qualified to receive financial victim assistance, which was available through a victim advocacy program in our State. This would help pay for her outstanding doctor bills, and so we applied for it. She... MORE
Values:
APPRECIATION
Seconds Change Lives Forever...
Ever since I was a child, I have had this gut feeling that I should be doing something with my life to help others. It wasn't until last year that I realized what that was. Those few seconds on that day changed several lives... I believe it changed mine for the better. I was 20 years old. I was attending college to become a computer programmer but the idea of sitting behind a computer 40 hours... MORE
Values:
HELPING OTHERS
VOLUNTEERING
The Tee Cotton Bowl
In my small Cajun/Creole Southwest Louisiana town of Ville Platte we have two uncommon high school football teams. One is an 82% African American, predominately Protestant, and mostly poor public school called the Ville Platte High Bulldogs. The other is an all white, Catholic, largely upper middle class private school, called the Sacred Heart Trojans. Now, we are in the Deep South, approximate... MORE
Values:
TEAM WORK
Forgiveness
It is a hard thing to forgive people. My best friend and I had a recent argument and we decided not talk over the summer. For me it is really hard to not talk to her. She hurt me and I hurt her. The way we hurt each other is that we pressed each others buttons really well. I am not sure how to fix the problem. I apologized, talked and rationalized with her. Nothing seems to work. I feel like I... MORE
Values:
FORGIVENESS
Growing Up with Harry; Stories of Character
During the week, Harry was a lawyer, and he would advise his clients on how best to take care of their families. He was well respected as a lawyer because he cared deeply about his clients. His father and his grandfather had done the same work, and he was a member of the same law firm: Lord, Day & Lord. I remember his working nights in our living room, with a yellow legal pad of paper and plent... MORE
Values:
HARD WORK
Publix
Respect is a very important value in my life. Especially manners. Please and Thank you are words that can make a difference in someone's day. One day a while ago when I was about ten years old my mom and I were at Publix. On this particular day they had various samples of many foods out. Being ten I wanted to try every sample. At one station an older woman, probably in her 60's, was distributin... MORE
Values:
RESPECT
I Remember Mama
In today's world, when a friend tells you he/she has met a female with a million-dollar smile, you automatically visualize a Miss America contestant or a young person whose beauty is exceptional. What you probably do not conjure up in your mind's eye is the image of a ninety-six and a half year old, teeny, peanut-sized woman who is the owner of that fabulous smile. Yet, that is the trait for ... MORE
Values:
CHARACTER