In this discussion, you will chat with your classmates about the assigned readings for this week.
Initial Post (due
Select the This I Believe essay that you found most interesting from the Assigned Readings for this week.
Assigned Readings:
Capo, N. (2011). .This I Believe.
Coyne, W. (2007). .This I Believe.
Lantry, J. (2005). .This I Believe.
Porter, C. (2015). . This I Believe.
Then, write a post where you do the following:
(1) indicate the core value(s) that the author presents in the essay
(2) discuss why you find your chosen essay interesting
(3) explain a personal connection you have with the author’s core value(s) and experiences
(4) demonstrate basic sentence structure
Sample Initial Post
In her essay, “We Are All Stardust,” Kimberly Woodberry shares her core values of spirituality and interconnection. I found Woodberry’s essay interesting in that she expresses both our reliance on the divine and on each other as human beings. This idea really resonates with me because I also believe that we are all bound together by our common human experience and that a higher being orchestrates it all. The personal connection that I can make with Woodberry is that her core values of spirituality and interconnection were largely shaped by her father. As the daughter of a minister, it is my father who really helped me to understand the divine and how our lives are connected with the lives of others.
Peer Response (due
Respond to at least one of your classmates and comment on any aspect of their post. In writing your response, you should consider the following questions:
(1) What was your reaction to her/his selected essay?
(2) What about the selected essay stood out to you?
(3) Can you relate to your classmate’s personal connection with the author?
Sample Peer Response
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Woodberry’s essay and your personal experiences. I had a very different reaction to “We Are All Stardust.” While I understand Woodberry’s perspective, I have never really embraced the idea of a higher being. I certainly believe that we are largely impacted by our connections to others, but for me the “divine” is not part of that. I do find it interesting that Woodberry’s values and your values were really impacted by your experiences with your fathers. I have never really thought about the impact of my father’s values on my values, but as I think more about what he believes, it is clear to me that I share many of his values. I guess our upbringing impacts us in ways we don’t always realize.
