Millions of Ukrainians feel as you do, by writing it down you let us know that. You are doing something very important, with well written a first hand experience. Hard to forget about war. You have to keep up your courage.
It's always hard to take our own good advice. That's a lesson I thankfully learned still in my 20s when chronic illness sucker-punched me. I learned how to guard my energy so I could get through the day. I've applied the same lessons to helping Ukraine. Though I honestly don't have any idea if it would work if I lived in Ukraine or was Ukrainian in any way. I sit here as an American with absolutely zero Slavic heritage.
I'm also reenergized right now because I'm going to DC again next month with the American Coalition for Ukraine. We're meeting with senators and representatives again to hammer how important it is to continue helping Ukraine. And it looks like this time we'll be meeting with senators and asking them to support turning the bilateral security agreement into an actual defense treaty. This would put Ukraine equal with Israel and REQUIRE our help instead of just highly recommend. It's an exciting thing for me to think about being part of.
As always, it never happens fast enough. But we're still working and fighting to help Ukraine in every way possible. I'm honored to be a part of it. Never in my life have I done something so important.
Thank you for sharing, Rachel! And thank you so much for doing advocacy work to help Ukraine. It means a lot to hear that there are Americans like you who care so much. I hope the trip will be a success, or at least bring us one step closer to Ukrainian victory and remind the politicians that Americans care about Ukraine.
The horror of losing so many friends. I can't even imagine how hard it is for you Darya. Your poem is how you deal. It captures your pain. It helps to speak it. I look forward to your letters every Saturday. We will be here every Saturday. Please take care of yourself.
It is tragic what you and the people of Ukraine have had to endure in the last few years. It is tragic that idiots like Putin can have so much power to kill and destroy. Why has our world not done better. Why can't all of the rest of the people in the world, stop just one man from creating so much pain and destruction. It boggles my mind.
Thank you for your support, Janet! Unfortunately, it’s not only Putin who causes all this pain and destruction. If he dies, Russians will choose another leader and continue to wage wars, and most likely invade Ukraine again. The problem is in Russian society and their imperialism, not in Putin, who is the effect, not the cause. I explained it in my recent essay:
We can only hope that after they are defeated in Ukraine, the embarrassment will make the people of Russia choose a leader, who is more democratic and friendly to the West.
When I was going to U, I worked part time at a hospice and consequently in a space of a few years I got to know so many people who died. Of course, some of them were older, but many of them were young people who had some slow burning incurable disease. At the time, with each passing, I knew I was changing because I noticed that unlike my friends I did not obsessed on what I thought were trivial things like the return rate on my investments, or if person X liked person Y etc.
The one thing that did seem heightened within me as a consequence of losing so many people I considered my friends was time, time the slow burning fire that consumes all. For me, time became like a waking nightmare because I became obsessed on things that many people considered beyond the average person's control. And, as I write, sadly, I can see that I slowly surrendered to their attitudes until this war against Ukraine. And, now the nightmare is back, my anger is back worst yet I better understand how people get seduced by their insecurities and trade off some of their moral outrage for the illusion of security. And that fact is not going to bring me any friends because I live today in the US and while many people I know are glad that Biden stepped aside, the truth is the same ole usual suspects like the main stream media and institutions like the UN, and the IRC will continue as they have been for decades virtue signalling and promoting the culture that allows the constant kicking of complex issues down the road for...well speaking of time....I have run out for today.
My point was that no matter what don't think that time is on your side.... things can always get worse.
Thank you for sharing your experience, David! I agree that being faced with constant death, pain, and injustice changes the perspective and values of a person completely. I do hope that we will have better times ahead!
I wonder....my wife and I disagree about many things on many social issues, and she is more representative of whatever passes for today as main stream views. The difference is that in the past I had adopted the adage "when in Rome" but seeing how collectively it has led the world to the brink of a nuclear war I ain't going to be winning any popularity contests in the coming years.
Anyhow, I had a weird flashback as I doing my evening run. I don't often think of my days at the hospice/extended care facilities. But, for some reason I remembered one patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) and his son. When I started work at the hospice the father's MS was well along. Day in, day out he would be bound in his wheelchair unable to move but he could talk and he worked in the gift shop. What I remember unfolding over the years is how his son changed when he visited his father. At first came across as a normal teenager but then he started ....well he turned into a punk. He had "destine for prison" figuratively written on his forehead. I remember coming into the gift store and over hearing the father struggling to convince his son to think about his life choices. The father's lung capacity was severely diminished so talking was a severe strain for him. As sad as it was, what came next was even sadder. In the extended care wing was a woman who was wheelchair bound because of a drunk driver. She took notice of the situation described and started to pay for the young man's clothes and dental work. One would think the woman would've been praised for being a good samaritan but instead rumors began to fly about that she was having a fling with the young man. Trust me, he was nobody's idea of a catch....
The point....even in a peaceful country, where there are no wars, no real reason for people to slit each other's throats people/adults can be incredibly cruel. No need to have written this to you except my conscience told me that the man's ordeal deserved to have been shared on the oft chance that somebody might learn something of use.
I’m sorry you feel so much pain I hope it helps to write about it, and a heartfelt poem
Thank you for your support, Frank!
Millions of Ukrainians feel as you do, by writing it down you let us know that. You are doing something very important, with well written a first hand experience. Hard to forget about war. You have to keep up your courage.
❤️
It's always hard to take our own good advice. That's a lesson I thankfully learned still in my 20s when chronic illness sucker-punched me. I learned how to guard my energy so I could get through the day. I've applied the same lessons to helping Ukraine. Though I honestly don't have any idea if it would work if I lived in Ukraine or was Ukrainian in any way. I sit here as an American with absolutely zero Slavic heritage.
I'm also reenergized right now because I'm going to DC again next month with the American Coalition for Ukraine. We're meeting with senators and representatives again to hammer how important it is to continue helping Ukraine. And it looks like this time we'll be meeting with senators and asking them to support turning the bilateral security agreement into an actual defense treaty. This would put Ukraine equal with Israel and REQUIRE our help instead of just highly recommend. It's an exciting thing for me to think about being part of.
As always, it never happens fast enough. But we're still working and fighting to help Ukraine in every way possible. I'm honored to be a part of it. Never in my life have I done something so important.
Thank you for sharing, Rachel! And thank you so much for doing advocacy work to help Ukraine. It means a lot to hear that there are Americans like you who care so much. I hope the trip will be a success, or at least bring us one step closer to Ukrainian victory and remind the politicians that Americans care about Ukraine.
The horror of losing so many friends. I can't even imagine how hard it is for you Darya. Your poem is how you deal. It captures your pain. It helps to speak it. I look forward to your letters every Saturday. We will be here every Saturday. Please take care of yourself.
Thank you so much, Sonia! ❤️ It means a lot to hear
🫂 I don't have much more for you than a big hug. Doing the right thing has never been easy, either in history or today. 🫂
Thank you!
It is tragic what you and the people of Ukraine have had to endure in the last few years. It is tragic that idiots like Putin can have so much power to kill and destroy. Why has our world not done better. Why can't all of the rest of the people in the world, stop just one man from creating so much pain and destruction. It boggles my mind.
Thank you for your support, Janet! Unfortunately, it’s not only Putin who causes all this pain and destruction. If he dies, Russians will choose another leader and continue to wage wars, and most likely invade Ukraine again. The problem is in Russian society and their imperialism, not in Putin, who is the effect, not the cause. I explained it in my recent essay:
https://daryazorka.substack.com/p/putins-war
We can only hope that after they are defeated in Ukraine, the embarrassment will make the people of Russia choose a leader, who is more democratic and friendly to the West.
Nice poem, one for the ages.
When I was going to U, I worked part time at a hospice and consequently in a space of a few years I got to know so many people who died. Of course, some of them were older, but many of them were young people who had some slow burning incurable disease. At the time, with each passing, I knew I was changing because I noticed that unlike my friends I did not obsessed on what I thought were trivial things like the return rate on my investments, or if person X liked person Y etc.
The one thing that did seem heightened within me as a consequence of losing so many people I considered my friends was time, time the slow burning fire that consumes all. For me, time became like a waking nightmare because I became obsessed on things that many people considered beyond the average person's control. And, as I write, sadly, I can see that I slowly surrendered to their attitudes until this war against Ukraine. And, now the nightmare is back, my anger is back worst yet I better understand how people get seduced by their insecurities and trade off some of their moral outrage for the illusion of security. And that fact is not going to bring me any friends because I live today in the US and while many people I know are glad that Biden stepped aside, the truth is the same ole usual suspects like the main stream media and institutions like the UN, and the IRC will continue as they have been for decades virtue signalling and promoting the culture that allows the constant kicking of complex issues down the road for...well speaking of time....I have run out for today.
My point was that no matter what don't think that time is on your side.... things can always get worse.
Thank you for sharing your experience, David! I agree that being faced with constant death, pain, and injustice changes the perspective and values of a person completely. I do hope that we will have better times ahead!
I wonder....my wife and I disagree about many things on many social issues, and she is more representative of whatever passes for today as main stream views. The difference is that in the past I had adopted the adage "when in Rome" but seeing how collectively it has led the world to the brink of a nuclear war I ain't going to be winning any popularity contests in the coming years.
Anyhow, I had a weird flashback as I doing my evening run. I don't often think of my days at the hospice/extended care facilities. But, for some reason I remembered one patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) and his son. When I started work at the hospice the father's MS was well along. Day in, day out he would be bound in his wheelchair unable to move but he could talk and he worked in the gift shop. What I remember unfolding over the years is how his son changed when he visited his father. At first came across as a normal teenager but then he started ....well he turned into a punk. He had "destine for prison" figuratively written on his forehead. I remember coming into the gift store and over hearing the father struggling to convince his son to think about his life choices. The father's lung capacity was severely diminished so talking was a severe strain for him. As sad as it was, what came next was even sadder. In the extended care wing was a woman who was wheelchair bound because of a drunk driver. She took notice of the situation described and started to pay for the young man's clothes and dental work. One would think the woman would've been praised for being a good samaritan but instead rumors began to fly about that she was having a fling with the young man. Trust me, he was nobody's idea of a catch....
The point....even in a peaceful country, where there are no wars, no real reason for people to slit each other's throats people/adults can be incredibly cruel. No need to have written this to you except my conscience told me that the man's ordeal deserved to have been shared on the oft chance that somebody might learn something of use.