Quick Reference Chart for Using This I Believe In Order of Essay in the Book
ESSAY TITLE
DEPARTMENT/AREA
KEY WORDS
Be Cool to the Pizza Dude
Philosophy, Social Work, Nursing
Leaving Identity Issues to Other
Folks
Multicultural Programs,
Sociology, History
In Giving I Connect with Others
Women’s Studies, Nursing
Remembering All the Boys
Social Work, Psychology,
Sociology
The Mountain Disappears
Art, Music
How Is It Possible to Believe in
God?
The Fellowship of the World
Creative Writing, Literature
Empathy, civility, honor, honest
work, equality
Personal change over time,
racism, freedom, best woman
you can be
Loss of a child, consistency,
giving of yourself to others,
sharing
Gang killings, respect for the
dead, importance of
remembering
Belief in people, capacity for
change, dignity of others,
potential of people
Belief in God, the creator
There is No Job More Important
than Parenting
FYEX classes, Education, Early
Childhood Ed, Consumer
Sciences
Sociology, Psychology
A Journey toward Acceptance
and Love
A Shared Moment of Trust
The Hardest Work You Will Ever
Do
Good Can Be as Communicable
as Evil
A Daily Walk Just to Listen
Sciences, Philosophy,
English/Writing
History, Political Science
Nursing
My Father’s Evening Star
Communications/radio, Political
Science
Women’s Studies, World
Religion
Writing classes, Philosophy,
Biology, Nursing
Political Science, History
An Honest Doubter
Philosophy, Religion
Have I Learned Anything
Important Since I Was Sixteen?
Sociology, Women’s Studies
The Elusive Yet Holy Core
1
Faith, fellowship with the world,
how you make the “journey” of
life
Intellectual preparation, delayed
gratification, skill of parenting
Sexuality, depression, love of
self, love of others
Depending on one another, trust
in others, wisdom of seniors
Death, depression, giving in to
grief, accepting help from others
Courtesy, civility, compassion,
wisdom of seniors
Prayer, listening to God, pursuit
of spiritual truth
Life is transitory and fragile, the
soul is enduring
Faith of our fathers, America’s
actions abroad – arrogance,
selfishness, greediness
Freedom from prejudice,
learning about many faiths,
philosophy, duty, revenge
Skepticism of religious authority,
curiosity about the world, live a
righteous life, social justice,
An Ideal of Service to our Fellow
Man
Business, Sciences, Political
Science, Education, Community
Service
The Power and Mystery of
Naming Things
A Goal of Service to Humankind
Women’s Studies, History,
Political Science
Nursing, Sciences, FYEX,
Community Service
Journalism, Sociology
CME, Business, FYEX, Nursing
The God Who Embraced Me
Unleashing the Power of
Creativity
The People Who Love You When
No One Else Will
The Willingness to Work for
Solutions
The Connection Between
Strangers
An Athlete of God
Social work, Sociology
Political Science, Economics,
Education
Political Science, History
Seeing in Beautiful Precise
Pictures
Disrupting My Comfort Zone
Music, Theatre, Athletics,
Physical Education
Nursing, Education,
Environmental Science
Theatre, Business, FYEX
Science Nourishes the Mind and
the Soul
Physics, Math, Education,
Sciences, Science Writing
In Praise of the “Wobblies”
The Power of Presence
History, Political Science,
Journalism, FYEX
Psychology, Nursing
A Grown-Up Barbie
Business, Consumer Science
Happy Talk
Music, Theatre
Natural Links in a Long Chain of
Being
Sustainable Farming,
Environmental Science
2
maturity
Free & responsible development
of the individual, love of justice,
threat to natural rights, a
planned economy
The power of naming
Knowledge, excellence, serve
humankind
Alcoholism, faith
Computers, creativity,
intelligence, philanthropy
Families, fostering, generosity
Quality of leadership, work for
solutions
Viet Nam, returning home,
connections between strangers,
carrying good forward
Dance of life, grace resulting
from faith in life, love and people
Autism & thinking in pictures,
humane animal slaughter
Getting out of your comfort
zone, to continue to grow
throughout your life, life-long
learning
Science explains and inspires,
science binds us into a greater
more resilient whole, science
nourishes mind and soul
Confusion can be a good thing
Presence is a state of being, be
there even if you can do nothing,
the power of presence
Clothes are personal part of your
identity, create confidence,
imagination
Accept the world’s
imperfections, announce your
happiness, nature is a continuing
miracle
Need grounding to know where
we are in relation to those who
went before and those after
ourselves, natural links in a long
Talking with the Sun
Creative Writing
A Morning Prayer in a Little
Church
Our Noble, Essential Decency
Theatre, Nursing
A New Birth of Freedom
The Benefits of Restlessness and
Jagged Edges
There Is No God
A Duty to Heal
Living Life with “Grace and
Elegant Treeness”
The Light of a Brighter Day
The Bright Lights of Freedom
The Power of Love to Transform
and Heal
The Power of Mysteries
Science Fiction Writing,
Education, Nursing
Political Science, History
Psychology, Sociology, FYEX,
Nursing
World Religions, Psychology,
FYEX
Nursing, Political Science,
History, FYEX
Environmental Science,
Philosophy
Philosophy, FYEX, Creative
Writing
Political Science, History
Social Work, Psychology
Sciences, Physics, Math
Life Grows in the Soil of Time
Sciences, FYEX
Why I Close My Restaurant
Consumer Science, Business,
FYEX, Political Science
Political Science, History, FYEX
Creative writing, English classes,
Literature, History, FYEX
Criminal Justice, Philosophy,
Sociology
Political Science, Philosophy,
FYEX
Political Science, FYEX
The Virtues of the Quiet Hero
The Joy and Enthusiasm of
Reading
There Is Such a Thing as Truth
The Rule of Law
Getting Angry Can Be a Good
Thing
Mysterious Connections That
Link Us Together`
The Making of Poems
We Are Each Other’s Business
Education, Literature, Global
Studies
Poetry, Literature, English
classes, FYEX
Religious Studies, FYEX,
3
line of being
American Indian ceremonies &
beliefs, racism, diversity,
everything is connected at an
intimate level, sacredness of life
Ennoblement of worship,
connectedness
Belief in neighbors (others),
belief in the goodness of others
Hope, belief in mankind, re-birth,
freedom
Bipolar disorder, knowing
yourself, accepting yourself
Good discussion piece
Racism, hope
Living lightly on the Earth,
spirituality, love of the outdoors
Faith without dogma
Freedom, human rights
Foreign adoption, the power of
love
Challenges of science, what is
mystery
Gift of time and
creativity/progress, the
transitoriness of time and its
value
Hope, freedom, hard work
Honor, faith, service
Joy of reading books
What is truth?
Rule of law, personal liberties
Outrage and its uses, civil rights,
faith in mankind
Empathy, Middle East issues
Consequences of traumatic
violence, processing experience,
human isolation
Diversity of religion/pluralism,
Multiculturalism
The 50-Percent Theory of Life
The America I Believe In
Philosophy, Environmental
Science, Agriculture
Global Studies, Sociology
The Real Consequences of
Justice
There is More to Life than My
Life
Criminal Justice, Political Science
Tomorrow Will Be a Better Day
Free Minds and Hearts at Work
Sciences, Sociology, FYEX
Athletics, Political Science
Growth That Starts from
Thinking
FYEX, Philosophy
The Artistry in Hidden Talents
Music
My Fellow Worms
Creative writing, Literature
When Children Are Wanted
Women’s Studies, FYEX, Nursing,
Sociology, Social Work
Jazz Is the Sound of God
Laughing
There Is No Such thing as Too
Much Barbecue
Music
The People Have Spoken
Political Science, History
Everything Potent is Dangerous
Humanities, FYEX
A Balance Between Nature and
Women’s Studies, Geography,
Philosophy
FYEX, Dining Services, Consumer
Science, Sciences
4
freedom of worship, bigotry,
courage to act
50/50 rule – ½ good, ½ bad
International relations, freedom,
welcome to immigrants and
visitors
Justice, great discussion essay,
using your instincts
Meaning of life, death and
relating it to young children, love
of nature
Belief in the future
Overcoming obstacles, progress
is unalterable, integrity, racial
studies
Wisdom of seniors, a questioning
mind, good discussion piece, use
your life to be the best you can
be, critical thinking
Connecting creativity of self and
others, the power of music,
living a creative life, the hidden
talents of others
Humility, pride, freedom is won
– not a given
To build for something beyond
yourself, women's health, birth
control, a world where all
children are wanted
Optimism, the power of jazz
Soul and comfort food, carrying
on tradition, physics of fire and
convection
Wise and just compromise,
public rejection, racial
segregation, racial segregation of
the military, voter initiatives
discriminating against gays,
politics can make our world
more just and secure
Fear immoderate zeal,
moderation, classical virtues,
self-control, responsibility,
obligation
Shared experience, social justice,
Nurture
Political Science
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of
Happiness
Political Science
Always go to the Funeral
Philosophy, FYEX
Finding Prosperity by Feeding
Monkeys
Nursing, World Religions, English
classes
I Agree with a Pagan
History, FYEX
Testing the Limits of What I
know and Feel
How Do You Believe in a
Mystery?
Creative Solutions to Life’s
Challenges
Creative Writing, English,
Political Science
Music
Goodness Doesn’t Just Happen
Journalism, Political Science
When Ordinary People Achieve
Extraordinary Things
Political Science, FYEX
Journalism, Creative Writing,
English, Appalachian Studies
child-rearing, balance between
nurture and nature
Freedom, life’s indivisibility,
government and liberty,
freedom of speech, the search
for happiness
Life and death, doing the right
thing even when you don’t want
to
Rituals, thinking of others,
traditions, multiculturalism, faith
in family
Relationships with others,
suffering is inevitable, love is
life’s meaning and purpose,
tolerance
Religious faith, fiction is more
real, pursuit of freedom
Mystery, inspiration, prayer, gift
of creation
“Affrilachian,” creativity, art and
creative expression, the power
of words
Liberty, balance of competitive
freedoms, law is a clumsy
machine, pogrom, Rule of Law
Defending someone with
disabilities, landmines, working
together for change, important
to take action
This chart is very general and meant to help you find an essay quickly that may fit the particular needs of
your class. The Departments/Areas listed are the most obvious to the essay, but students will find value
in all the essays. The essays are suited for discussion pieces and “what would you do or what do you
believe?” is an appropriate question to ask students to generate discussion.
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