Issac has a gun to confront his father. Sebastian has a paintbrush to confront his demons. Quincy has a dream to pursue his freedom. Miriam has a promise to keep to her enslaved mother. Follow these four as they journey away from tumultuous beginnings to discover the pursuit of happiness. In this collection, beauty is in the eye of the tortured beholder. Beauty and Perspective is a collection of poetry, prose, and short stories about looking beyond mundanity and misfortune to find beauty. Often, it is easy to allow that which is before our eyes to skew our perspectives of what is good or what is possible. Works such as "Tragedy to Triumph" and "Before He Used His Father's Gun" tell the story of two young men's journeys to overcome the misery and tumultuous environments into which each was born. The five Japanese haikus offer wisdom about how to focus one's mind for peace and happiness. "A Yellow Flower Moment" is one mother's advice to a son in pain. Finally, the excerpt from In His Own Image introduces Quincy, a slave, who looks beyond his deplorable condition to find freedom, and by doing so, he discovers that he must not only free his body but also his mind. Together, these pieces offer inspiration for anyone seeking ideals in the face of turmoil and anguish.