Nancy Vu

Author

I've found that one of the best ways to clear my mind is to drive. And if it weren't for the soaring gas prices, I would love to just drive around town, all the time, with no real destination. There's something strangely therapeutic about driving.

Guideposts

Monthly magazine

Casey wasn't the most popular dog in her owner Carol Baird's neighborhood. She had a heart of gold but a nose for trouble. So when a man rapped on Carol's door, said he lived three blocks away and then asked for her dog's name, Carol braced herself.

Cindy Wigglesworth

Author of SQ21, Leadership Coach and Corporate Consultant

What sets a truly noble person apart? What makes a Gandhi, Dalai Lama, or Mother Teresa different? There is a decision made by these people to hold themselves to a higher standard. They make a decision to live up to noble values -- to live from their highest nature. In what part of the brain does this ability reside?

Toan Lam

Founder, Go Inspire Go

When Ellen publicly came out, her mom quickly became a visible ally to the LGBT community. Betty has continued to be a strong PFLAG mom for more than 15 years and is the spokeswoman for Care With Pride campaign, an initiative to educate and raise visibility on issues related to bullying.

Rodger Kamenetz

Author: Burnt Books,The Jew in the Lotus, History of Last Night's Dream

In the midst of our wreckage that I speak to you, both as a Jew and as a New Orleanian, because survival is not just a matter of urban planning, or of financial aid, or willfulness. It is something deeper. It is of the soul.

Rev. Susan Russell

Episcopal priest and activist from Pasadena, Calif.

The public story of a public theologian publically evolving on LGBT equality is a kind of coming out. It's part of the tide turning, a beacon of hope to all those who wonder if that long held dream of a nation where liberty and justice for all is not just a pledge but a reality will ever be realized.

William B. Bradshaw

Author, 'The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors'; 'Sinister Among Us' (a novel about demons); and 'Fundraising: the System that Works." See www.williambbradshaw.com

Nearly 17 years ago, my friend and his wife lost their 34-year-old son to cancer. A friend of the son who attended the funeral was doing mission work in the Ukraine and offered to take the son's clothing back with him to the impoverished nation.

Christina Teani

Special education teacher

I was born with a profound hearing loss and have worn hearing aids for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a large "hearing family," I had to learn to speak and read lips, but I always felt like something was missing.

Spencer West

Motivational Speaker

On the final day of our trek from Edmonton to Calgary to raise money for clean water overseas, we're just outside the city limits of Cowtown. I can see Calgary's skyline, and after 10 straight days of walking on my hands, it's like a mirage in the desert.

Adam Grant

Wharton professor and author, 'Give and Take'

What if searching for happiness actually prevents us from finding it? There's reason to believe that the quest for happiness might be a recipe for misery.

Jason Alexander

Actor

Good men and women in the Middle East are struggling for their futures, their dignities, and their security. We have a role to play, no matter how small. I have taken a part, but this cast is large. And the players need you. It is a great story. You really shouldn't miss it.

Susan Sisko Carter

Screenwriter, Novelist, Singer, Songwriter

have survived without my computer for 20 days. I feel free... light. Actually, I prefer writing with pen and paper in cafes. I am more connected to my surroundings and I am not compromising the ambience.

Danielle Hark

Photographer, Mental Health Advocate, Founder of BrokenLightCollective.com

Somehow, my fur-baby can always gets me to smile, no matter how miserable or stressed I feel. I am not alone. It turns out that all pets, not just therapy pets, can help your mind, body, and spirit. Here are a dozen reasons why.

Marie LaPersonerie

Founder, Sean's Gift

Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a child, which is why I never would have guessed that allowing my son's organs to be donated, and thus, letting him live on through the lives of total strangers, would provide the comfort to get through my toughest days.