Story in Tyre, Lebanon

This photo might just look like a peaceful coastline. Blue skies, the Mediterranean Sea, a few buildings off to the side. It almost looks like a vacation picture. But for me, it means something very different. I took this photo during my time in Tyre, Lebanon, where I worked as an operations specialist with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This was the view I saw every day on the way back to base after training. It may seem calm, but behind it was one of the most intense and challenging periods of my life.

During my nine months in Lebanon, almost every day started early and ended late. We did everything from field training to security planning to patrols. We’d wake up before the sun, gear up, and spend hours doing drills under the heat. Most days, my body felt completely worn out—shoulders sore from carrying equipment, boots dusty, and mind tired from always staying alert. Some days were physically demanding, while others were mentally exhausting, filled with hours of briefings, reports, and planning. But no matter how long or hard the day had been, we’d drive back along this road, and I’d look out at the sea.

That part of the day was quiet. No talking, no music, just the sound of the truck and the wind outside. We were all tired, probably thinking about getting back to base. But for me, this view meant more than just the end of the day. It was a kind of reminder that even in a place full of tension and responsibility, there was still beauty. The sea was always there, unchanging and calm, even when everything around me felt intense or chaotic. That view was something stable to hold onto when days blurred together.

The photo doesn’t show everything else going on. It doesn’t show the strict routine we followed or the mental pressure we felt to always be ready. It doesn’t show the coordination work I did for missions or how we had to plan every detail carefully so nothing went wrong. It doesn’t show the friendships I made with other soldiers or the stress that came with the job. It doesn’t show the tough conversations, the moments when people snapped from fatigue, or the long nights staying up going over logistics.

But when I look at this picture, I think of all of it.

I also think about how much I changed during that time. Being part of UNIFIL taught me discipline and focus, but also patience and perspective. I learned how to stay calm even when I was tired or frustrated. I learned how to support others and how to lead by example, even when no one said anything. I learned to appreciate the little quiet moments like this one after a long day of work. Those moments became a kind of reset, something to look forward to at the end of each day.

This photo might not show any people or action, but it captures a moment I had again and again, coming back from a long day, staring out the window, and thinking about everything I had done and everything that still lay ahead. It reminds me of how far I’ve come since then, and how much I grew during those nine months. I see more than just a coastline in this photo. I see routine, reflection, fatigue, strength, and growth. And I’m glad I captured that quiet moment, because it represents a chapter of my life that shaped who I am today.