This I Believe Illinois

Kenya is a college student from Springfield, IL. She was also a chosen essayist from the NPR Illinois This I Believe Essay Program 2020. Kenya talks about this and more with Community Voices' Bea Bonner and Randy Eccles.

Jessica Markley is a college student originally from Springfield, IL. Jessica was a chosen essayist in the NPR Illinois This I Believe Essay Program 2019 and participated in NPR Illinois Stinkbug Night. Jessica talks about this and more with Community Voices' Bea Bonner and Randy Eccles.

As a young kid, my father was out of the picture. My mother had two jobs in order to support three kids. I grew up in a rough neighborhood, and so I never played with the neighborhood kids. We didn’t have board games or video games, but luckily we had television. 

We should all live our lives with the same spirit as the family farmer. This I believe. There are many life lessons to be learned from our nation’s farmers. They are quick to offer help in times of need, are reliable and responsible, and are protective of all in their care, whether it be family, livestock, or the land. I believe my grandfather was the perfect practitioner of these values through his lifetime. 

I believe in embracing the truth. Living with my head in the sand and pretending that everything is normal is just not an option. See, I didn’t have what most people would call an orthodox upbringing; I’ve lived with my grandparents ever since I was very little, ever since my mother choose to give up custody of my sister and me because she couldn't provide for us. 

The past is something that will always be there to push me forward. In my youth, my family struggled over many obstacles. My father was an alcoholic and got pulled over one too many times and was sent to prison.

I believe in losing the shoe. I learned the value of this basic principle during a moment when a shoe seemed to be of critical importance.

I am a cry baby and I am unashamed. Despite the stigma that those who cry a lot are weak or emotionally unstable, I am neither of those things. If anything, I feel all the stronger because I completely accept the fact that sometimes my eyeballs are just gonna have to look like leaky faucets.

I believe that being “homeless” is a choice. Yes, that is honestly what I believe but let me explain.