– Write 1 more page
• Next, generate a thesis statement based on your selected belief. – If you can’t name it in three to four sentences (roughly 75+ words), your essay might not be about belief. Here’s an example of what I’m looking for –
I believe in my dog. I believe in the way he lives his life, and I try to emulate him. I strive to gain his level of happiness in the simplest of things. I believe in how he lives in the present. As my day fills with stress, crowded commutes, and endless deadlines, I think of Duncan home alone. His day was probably boring, but he’s ready to move right past it once we’re together. I believe in his egalitarian treatment of everyone despite race, creed or appearance. He never pre-judges.
Dr. A’s note – here are a few questions that your thesis statement should answer
• What is your TIB statement?
• Why is this belief important to your life?
• How does the belief help you view the world?
• Finally, develop a personal story that supports your thesis- Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Specifically, use at least one story example from Lesson 2 and transform them into well-developed paragraphs (roughly 400+ words). Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny-but it should be real.
Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs. Here’s an example
I never had a dog before; I got Duncan at the urging of a friend who had probably grown as tired of my bachelor behavior as I had. My long work nights and weekends always ended with a lonely run, a bourbon or two, or a phone call to someone I didn’t really listen to. All I talked about was me and what was wrong with my life. My friends stopped asking me out because I was always either at work or talking about work. I had dates with women who would mistakenly think I was loyal to them, but I never returned their calls or thanked them for the cookies they left on my doorstep. I was what some people would call “a dog” — a bad dog.
Not one person depended on me, nor I upon them. One Sunday, I woke up at noon and suddenly noticed how silent my house and my life were. I realized I couldn’t expect any valued relationship until I created one first. So I got Duncan. All of a sudden, when no one depended on me, he did. It was an extreme detox from selfishness: Let me out. Feed me. Clean up after me. Watch me sleep. I found that I actually liked being relied upon. When I realized that I could meet his needs, I also realized he met mine.