The idea of beauty is conceptual. Is it physical? Spiritual? Philosophical? To me, beauty is what we surround ourselves with. In Sioux City, there are so many opportunities to find beauty.
We are lucky to have spaces in Siouxland where we can go and admire beauty, all while still maintaining social distancing. The location of Sioux City is a perfect combination of farmland, luscious green forests and flowing rivers. There are so many ways to spend time absorbing all of this beauty.
One of my favorite things to do in Sioux City is to drive out to Stone State Park, find one of the many viewpoints, and sit on a bench that looks over the tri-state area. I grew up going to camp at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center and learned to have an appreciation and love for Stone Park. It is somewhere I feel most at peace, and I think many others that have explored the park feel the same way.
Another beautiful aspect of Sioux City is the Historic Fourth area of Downtown. I enjoy walking next to the local restaurants and shops. Looking at the murals and thinking about the history in that space. And of course the familiar faces.
Sioux City is a small enough town that anywhere you go, you’ll know at least one person, and although sometimes you’re in a rush and don’t have time to talk, it’s beautiful to see people you’ve known your whole life.
While we live in a scenic place, and there are always changes being made to make it better, the best part about Sioux City is the people. Having lived here my whole life, I like to think that I know the people here pretty well. I know my former high school and elementary school teachers. I know old friends’ parents and grandparents. I know most of the people that work at Hy Vee! That’s what makes living here great.
People are what make a place great, not just the physical aspects of the city that we love. It’s the sense of community that comes from Sioux City that I think is the most beautiful thing in my life. While we live in a world of confusion and anxiety, we can rely on the idea that we have each other, and while we shouldn’t be together physically right now, we are always together. We are from Sioux City!
By: Mae Macfarlane. Mae is a 2018 graduate of West High School in Sioux City and currently attends the University of St Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is majoring in Communication and Journalism and works with her school’s news organization, TommieMedia, as a reporter. As the City’s summer Social Media Intern, Mae will create content for the city’s social media and an ongoing content plan for the rest of the year. She looks forward to learning more about how city government works and the exciting things that are happening in Sioux City.
