As a writer on human rights issues I don't lack reasons for concern. There are not too many countries nowadays where human rights in some form are not abused, where violence does not strike in one of its multiple forms.
At such moments of discouragement, I visit one of the many neighborhoods outside Manhattan, where the change of locale can do wonders for my mood.
One of my favorite places is Brighton Beach, a community on Coney Island in the borough of Brooklyn, a subway ride away from Manhattan. In summer, I go to the boardwalk, sit in front of the sea, and the salt breeze energizes me.