"Sanctuary is a big word with no exact definition; it is left for people to decide what sanctuary is for them, and for Paloma Bastos, it’s an important thing to get her through the day."--Yuri Espinoza, 7th grade
Sanctuary is a big word with no exact definition; it is left for people to decide what sanctuary is for them, and for Paloma Bastos, it’s an important thing to get her through the day.
For Paloma Bastos, an OSA Literary Arts student, sanctuary is friends and family who help her navigate the tough moments in life. She explains that she has ongoing depression and really bad anxiety that makes it hard for her to continue with her day, and with her sanctuary, it makes her feel supported and not alone.
Bastos explains that having her friends and family around, knowing she is cared for and loved, helps regulate her emotions, and she doesn’t have to worry about those negative thoughts. Knowing people are there for her to help her and let her be herself, even on her ups and downs, allows her to stay grounded.
Family and friends are important to her because she feels like she can truly be herself —no facade, no show, just her true, authentic self, without worrying about how people think about her. “I think I definitely am a different person when I’m with friends and family, knowing that I’m cared for is just a calming feeling to me; it really helps.”
For Bastos, it helps her emotionally and protects her from all the negative thoughts; that's why her sanctuary is important to her. “A memory I have with my sanctuary is when I was laughing and hanging out with friends and forgot all about my worries.” From Bastos' own experiences and ideas, we can see that her sanctuary isn’t necessarily a place, but people, people who show her the ups in life even when she is experiencing the lows of it.
For Paloma Bastos, an OSA Literary Arts student, sanctuary is friends and family who help her navigate the tough moments in life. She explains that she has ongoing depression and really bad anxiety that makes it hard for her to continue with her day, and with her sanctuary, it makes her feel supported and not alone.
Bastos explains that having her friends and family around, knowing she is cared for and loved, helps regulate her emotions, and she doesn’t have to worry about those negative thoughts. Knowing people are there for her to help her and let her be herself, even on her ups and downs, allows her to stay grounded.
Family and friends are important to her because she feels like she can truly be herself —no facade, no show, just her true, authentic self, without worrying about how people think about her. “I think I definitely am a different person when I’m with friends and family, knowing that I’m cared for is just a calming feeling to me; it really helps.”
For Bastos, it helps her emotionally and protects her from all the negative thoughts; that's why her sanctuary is important to her. “A memory I have with my sanctuary is when I was laughing and hanging out with friends and forgot all about my worries.” From Bastos' own experiences and ideas, we can see that her sanctuary isn’t necessarily a place, but people, people who show her the ups in life even when she is experiencing the lows of it.
