Doing our job

A conversation with my friend, who is currently on the frontlines in Ukraine, and a new poem.

The Golden Gate Bridge, fog, and pelicans.

Recently, I spoke to my friend Sergei, who has been fighting for two years already, and he asked me to talk about anything but war. He said he had always dreamed of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and asked me if I’d been there. I shared about one of my trips to San Francisco and sent photos and videos of the beautiful bridge covered in fog. Sergei answered that he could spend hours just staying in front of it, watching the fog and listening to the wind and the ocean. I immediately felt so much guilt that I had an opportunity to do it, unlike him. The Golden Gate Bridge seemed absolutely unreachable to someone in the cold, muddy trenches on the Ukrainian frontlines. I wished I could transfer him there. I wished I could stop the war. I wished I could do more to help. Sergei interrupted me: “Don’t you ever feel guilty for living your life. Enjoy it and cherish every moment. I made a choice to be where I am, and I have no regrets. I’m just doing my job, and you keep doing yours”.

I thought about our conversation for a while and how much wisdom was in the words of this 26 y.o. guy, who is the same age as my younger brother. We all must cherish what we have and keep doing our job. A job to make this world a better place for our kids, a job to fight against evil and injustice any way we can, and a job to support those who risk their lives so we can live in peace. Let’s continue doing that, together.

I will finish with a poem I wrote after my conversation with Sergei:

Golden Gate

I spoke to my friend on the front line.
He said: Let’s not talk about war.
I always dreamed of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge.
Tell me everything you know.

And I talked about fog that covers its towers and beams,
about pelicans flying above it in flocks.
I told him how big the ocean is,
with dark blue waters and a rocky shore.

I told him about sunsets on the beach,
about ships and boats, about cars and planes.
I talked about the wind that blows from the hills,
and about seals who swim in the waves.

I wrote: I wish you were here. It’s so unfair.
I wish this war never happened at all.
He said: “I know, but we can’t change our fates.
Don’t worry about me. I’m just doing my job”.

I have a tradition of making a wish 
every time I visit the Golden Gate.
I looked at the tall, red, majestic bridge,
closed my eyes
and thought of my friend.

Warmly,

Darya

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Email: daryazorka@substack.com

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