Ordinary People Extraordinary Stories

Eight years ago, Karishma Mehta founded Humans of Bombay, inspired by the single idea- we all want to be heard. From the first shoot, where she traipsed Mumbai's iconic Marine Drive, asking strangers to speak with her, she's brought together a team of storytellers and a community of over 3.2 million people who believe in the power of humanity. This book, a collection of some of the best stories documented over the last 8 years, is Karishma's love letter to the people of India. Every story in this collection is unique, inspirational, and relatable, and offers a glimpse into a country with 1.3 billion beating hearts ... one tale at a time.

"An inspiring collection of true stories about real people who chose well, who chose wisely, and who, without publicity or fame, achieved greatness."--

This is the story of Condoleezza Rice that has never been told, not that of an ultra-accomplished world leader, but of a little girl--and a young woman--trying to find her place in a sometimes hostile world, of two exceptional parents, and an extended family and community that made all the difference. Condoleezza Rice has excelled as a diplomat, political scientist, and concert pianist. Her achievements run the gamut from helping to oversee the collapse of communism in Europe and the decline of the Soviet Union, to working to protect the country in the aftermath of 9-11, to becoming only the second woman--and the first black woman ever--to serve as Secretary of State. But until she was 25 she never learned to swim, because when she was a little girl in Birmingham, Alabama, Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor decided he'd rather shut down the city's pools than give black citizens access. Throughout the 1950's, Birmingham's black middle class largely succeeded in insulating their children from the most corrosive effects of racism, providing multiple support systems to ensure the next generation would live better than the last. But by 1963, Birmingham had become an environment where blacks were expected to keep their head down and do what they were told--or face violent consequences. That spring two bombs exploded in Rice’s neighborhood amid a series of chilling Klu Klux Klan attacks. Months later, four young girls lost their lives in a particularly vicious bombing. So how was Rice able to achieve what she ultimately did? Her father, John, a minister and educator, instilled a love of sports and politics. Her mother, a teacher, developed Condoleezza’s passion for piano and exposed her to the fine arts. From both, Rice learned the value of faith in the face of hardship and the importance of giving back to the community. Her parents’ fierce unwillingness to set limits propelled her to the venerable halls of Stanford University, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become the university’s second-in-command. An expert in Soviet and Eastern European Affairs, she played a leading role in U.S. policy as the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union disintegrated. Less than a decade later, at the apex of the hotly contested 2000 presidential election, she received the exciting news--just shortly before her father’s death--that she would go on to the White House as the first female National Security Advisor. As comfortable describing lighthearted family moments as she is recalling the poignancy of her mother’s cancer battle and the heady challenge of going toe-to-toe with Soviet leaders, Rice holds nothing back in this remarkably candid telling.

Through personal experiences, this anthology illuminates how the practice of Nichiren Buddhism has changed people’s lives for the better. These first-person narratives—representing people from all across the country of various ages and ethnic backgrounds—examine the challenges of daily life associated with health, relationships, career, and aging, and the ensuing experiences of hope, success, inspiration, and personal enlightenment that come about as a result of living as Nichiren Buddhists.

“These are remarkable and poignant stories that need to be told.” —Ken Burns More than six million people watch Bob Dotson’s Emmy award-winning segment, American Story, on NBC’s Today Show. For the last four decades, Dotson has traveled the country searching out inspiring individuals who quietly perform everyday miracles. In the process, he has become the treasured cartographer of America’s heart and soul. Today’s news is overwhelmingly grim; it’s also told by journalists who travel in herds as they trail politicians and camp out at big stories. In American Story, Dotson shines a light on America’s neglected corners, introducing readers to the ordinary Americans who have learned to fix what really matters.

Gui Ren is a written Chinese phrase that encompasses the synchronicity of people entering your life with purposeful timing to help guide you through difficult challenges. Erin O'Neil graduated from college with a plane ticket across the globe and her dream job in hand. She had all the building blocks in place for a successful post-graduate career and a thrilling adventure. But when all fell tumbling down on her, and she found herself stranded in Shanghai, China, unemployed and heartbroken, she knew she had a decision to make. Gui Ren is about a young woman's mission to prove that there is always a choice; that it's possible to perceive a devastating loss as an opportunity to grow. It's about the synchronicity of adventure and the people who impacted her life along the way. Erin began to discover meaningful connections and unanticipated friendships as she traveled through China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Gui Ren is about travel, love, vulnerability, and transformation. It is about the places that left her breathless and the people who changed her life forever.

When we're going through challenging times, we tend to think we're alone. In the middle of the bad times, it's difficult to see how life could ever be even just okay again, never-mind good. The purpose of this book is to provide encouragement and inspiration for those who are going through challenges from which they can currently see no relief. Reading stories of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary challenges using a technique you can use to achieve the same results is one of the most empowering gifts you can give to yourself. "It's 2 a.m. I am in Hawaii. And I'm dying. The pain comes in my body and the voice in my mind confirms it. This is real. Cancer is real. As I look down the barrel of my own emotional gun, my mind flashes back to conversations with another practitioner when I recall saying to her of her Fibromyalgia recovery account - "It's alright for you - You've got a story! I don't have one! " Well, be careful what you ask for - because you just might get it. I'll rephrase that. Be careful what you ask for -you will definitely get it. I definitely had a story now. The question was would I live to tell it?" Foreword by Robert G. Smith (Founder of FasterEFT)

In spite of a diving accident that has left her paralyzed for more than thirty years, Joni Eareckson Tada has been able to build a life of faith and purpose. The peace she has found as she confronts the painful realities of life as a quadriplegic has made her a hero to many people. In Ordinary People, Extraordinary Faith, Joni lets us know who her heroes are. Inside she tells the stories of people who inspire her with their faith and courage. Although Joni has met many famous "heroes of the faith" through her ministry, the lives she shares here are not the Billy Grahams of the world. They are a mother, a housewife, a nursing home resident, a child. Some are missionaries or pastors; others are bank tellers or data entry clerks. All of these people have touched Joni's life and the lives of others as they found their faith rise to the occasion – to forgive an assailant, to find strength despite the debilitating effects of cerebral palsy, to choose love in the face of racial prejudice, and to discover in the midst of questioning that God Himself is the answer to all questions.