What do you see when you walk out of your door or look out your window?

We start every day by looking outside a window or walking outside our door. Often, we don’t think much of what is outside of our homes, because we’ve become so accustomed to it. The streets, the buildings, the people - each part is just an aspect of our routines. However, what feels familiar to one person as they start or end their day may be completely different, or unexpectedly similar, to another living in a separate part of the world. For this issue, I invited people to share what greets them and what they come home to each day. 

“When I step outside, I can see brick apartments with a lot of bikes and plants outside. Sometimes there are a few homeless people too.”
-Alena, age 18, Amsterdam

“When I step outside, I can see a dark road, usually wet because it has just rained, with street lamps, cars and houses.”

-Ellie, age 18, England

“The first thing I see when I step outside is patches of grass, a blue sky, and tall trees.”

-Liam, age 18, Oregon

“I live in an apartment, so the first thing I see when I step outside of my door is the hallway of my apartment building. There’s a mirror to the left and an elevator to the right.”

-Cleo, age 18, Los Angeles

“There is a park below me that usually has people in it, and I can see many buildings in the distance, trees, and flowers. Sometimes there are beautiful sunsets that I like to watch from my window.”

-Mathilde, age 17, France

Thank you to everyone who shared the view from their homes with us!

Where do you find the most peace in your world?

In a world that seems to move at a constant pace, moments of peace let us see beauty in stillness. For some, peace means spending time alone, exploring what their world offers, or doing things they love. Everyone experiences the world differently, but one of the things that unite us as humans is the desire for peace, whether that be through small actions or large ones. For this issue, people were asked to show what peace looks like through their own experience. 

“The place where I find the most peace is Dorothea Dix Park. I remember coming here as a child with my dad when it first opened. I never have much time to get in touch with nature because of schoolwork and sports, but some weekends I like to drive to the park and sit inside the trees. They have hammocks for people to sit in. I usually listen to music and just relax.”

-Jackson, age 17, North Carolina

“I find peace at Old Head, Co. Mayo. I like to walk along the seafront and sit on the cliffs, especially at sunset. My family and I usually come down in the summer and meet up with a few other families and stay for a few weeks.”

-Malachy, age 19, Ireland

“The place where I find the most peace is watching Broadway shows. Every year for my birthday, I get to pick a Broadway show to go see with my friends. We usually spend the whole trip there and back singing songs from the show. It’s kind of my one way to silence everything else and focus on something I love.”

-Sophia, age 18, New York

“I love to go to Place de Vosges in the summer and lay down my picnic blanket and read. Usually, I go and get an iced coffee first. Sometimes I go with my friends, and sometimes I go alone, but there’s always a lot of people sitting there enjoying the day.”

-Azali, age 19, France

“I find the most peace taking long walks through the park and city streets. I moved to Italy recently, so I’m still getting used to it. There is so much to see around Rome, and I’m constantly finding new places I love.”

-Madelyn, age 18, Italy

“I would say the place I find the most peace is at the beach. I like to drive down after school on a Friday or on a weekend with my friends and spend the whole day there. My favorite part is probably when the sun sets, it literally looks like something out of a movie. When I get stressed, I think the sounds of the ocean really help to calm me down.”

-Talia, age 18, California

Thank you to everyone who shared where they find peace in their lives!