Surrounding Youth with What's Beautiful

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And yet, more often than not, we still agree on what’s beautiful.

A sunrise. 

A bird with bright, exquisite colors. 

A clean, peaceful corner somewhere in the world. 

And so much more....

Beauty is all around us—not just in museums or picture-perfect moments. It’s woven into the order of things. And we feel a quiet happiness in that kind of order.

How do we feel it?

Imagine a house, a room, or a classroom -- clean and full of bright sunlight. A neighborhood with yards, decorated with carefully trimmed plants and lovely flowers. A children's book with colorful illustrations. A movie that radiates delight and enjoyment.

Or, the sparkling eyes of a young child—eyes filled with joy. A puppy napping in a sunny spot. The unexpected giggle of a baby’s laughter. A comforting hug from a parent. A sincere and kind smile from a friend, teacher, or a stranger.... The list continues. Even as you envision these moments, you might notice a smile on your face.

Indeed, despite our differences, we all recognize that warmth, that care, that joy—that beauty.

It’s as if there’s some inner standard of what is beautiful that we all lean toward. We crave coherence, harmony, balance, kindness—we crave beauty.

But sometimes that beauty gets lost in the noise. Too much ugliness in our feeds and too much fear in our stories and entertainment. 

In such moments, I can't help thinking about the old saying that we become what we dwell on. Therefore, if we dwell on harmony and goodness, we will train our eyes to see it; once we see it, we begin to grow it.

Maybe that’s why beauty matters so deeply for young people, because learning to see and create beauty is also learning to seek what is good. Moreover, when we notice what’s lovely, we become a little more optimistic and a little more hopeful.

And as every generation looks to the next with hope, we ask youth to fix what we couldn’t. We want them to be the change-makers, so we should encourage them to stay positive, confident, and courageous. To do that, we need to help them see, feel, and practice what is truly beautiful—the kind that lives in all of us and reminds us what we should strive for.

In the end, a beautiful world begins with beautiful minds—and the everyday choices that keep them gentle, curious, and full of wonder and light.