"Don't Get Used to Our Grief"

If you haven't had time to watch the news and listen to several excellent interviews with President Zelenskyy this past week, I've curated some of the best for you.

But first we start with his wife. 

One day this past week I listened to this interview by Christiane Amanpour with Olena Zelenska, in which she talks about not seeing her husband since the war began on February 24. She ended with, "Don't get used to our grief." 

While I obviously cannot speak for everyone, I am fearful that most Americans are getting used to the Ukrainians grief. The people that I am in contact day in and day out say, "Yes, it's horrible, but I just can't look at those pictures" or "I don't want to think about it." Life for most of the world goes on as normal, while nothing is normal anymore. It makes me want to scream!

President Zelenzkyy said at the beginning of this war, "Don't look away" and I have not. I cannot, even though the images I see make me weep.

Later that same day the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia visited President Zelenskyy in Kyiv. When President Duda of Poland approached President Zelenskyy he wrapped his arm around him. Tears immediately came to my eyes. Human touch is so important and with his wife and children sequestered for their safety, he's probably not had anyone hug him in over a month. It also signified his support for him. It still touches me every time I look at it.

He and his wife are just a couple of years older than my daughter. I feel very maternal towards them. I often wonder what this is like for his parents, to see their son under so much stress. I pray his parents are safe as well.

This interview is from a month ago. What he said needs to be heard again and again by the leaders who still need to help OR do more. Please listen carefully:

He's spoken often this week I know I'm missing some, but these stood out to me:

I couldn't sleep that night, so I created a a graphic from what he said they needed and shared it on all my social media channels.

From the BBC:

And finally, he talks about his children and how he wants to be remembered in an excellent interview with Jake Tapper on CNN:

I pray they will have many more years with him.

 

What 60 Minutes Didn't Include

After spending almost every waking minute this weekend pouring over any piece of information I could find about Ukraine, the 60 Minutes interview with President Zelenskyy was a calm way for my weekend of insatiable research to come to an end.

Did you watch it? If not, you can watch it here: 60 Minutes Zelenskyy Interview

They didn't include the following two videos in the prime time interview. They are only a few minutes and worth watching.

I downloaded Duolingo on Monday and have completed 7 days of teaching myself Ukrainian. I don't know why, I just feel like I'm supposed to. After the war is over, my husband and I are going to visit Ukraine. Who knows, maybe we'll end up moving there. It is very difficult! But I am going to persevere.

In my searches on YouTube I discovered a young Ukrainian woman, Inna Sopronchuk and her business, Speak Ukrainian. The next class starts at the end of this month but is full. I am hoping to take it when the next one is offered. 

In the video below she shares about fleeing Kherson just ten days ago. Her husband is fighting in the military and she is alone. Please pray for her.

She is raising money to help her country. Please check out: "Buy a T-Shirt and Save a Ukrainian Life"

Without Victory There Is No Survival

“Victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terror. Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.”    

Winston Churchill

                                                                         

Fill the Silence With Your Music!

I have been waiting to write a post about the Ukrainian music I have discovered over the past month and have grown to love. I will write that soon but have to share a pre-taped video message by President Zelenskyy that aired on The Grammys tonight.

I applaud him for using every avenue available to get the message about Ukraine in front of as many people as possible.

I discovered this song early on and listen to it several times each day.

Andriy Khlyvnyuk, the frontman of top Ukrainian band Boombox (Бумбокс) dropped his tour of the US to defend his country. Andriy sang this on the street acapella. The Kiffness, a South African electronic artist asked him if he could put it to music to help raise money for Ukraine. Please keep Andriy in your prayers. A mortar shell blew up in his face a few weeks ago. He has recovered enough to continue the fight.

The song’s title translates as "Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow". It was written in 1914 to honor the Sich Riflemen, a Ukrainian military unit that fought in WW I. The red viburnum or kalyna berry referenced in the song is a national symbol of Ukraine, representing the blood roots and connection to the homeland.

Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow

In the meadow, there a red kalyna, has bent down low ,

For some reason, our glorious Ukraine, has been worried so.

And we’ll take that red kalyna and we will raise it up,

And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey – hey, cheer up – and rejoice!

And we’ll take that red kalyna and we will raise it up,

And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey – hey, cheer up – and rejoice!

Ukrainian Folk Song

Photo by Dmitry Bukhantsov on Unsplash

Once again the people’s blood Is streaming …

 

"Dear God, calamity again!
It was so peaceful, so serene;
We had just begun to break the chains
That bind our folk in slavery
When halt! Once again the people’s blood

Is streaming …"

Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian poet, 1859 

My husband has been telling me to prepare myself, that the war in Ukraine is going to get much worse. I was still up last night/early morning when the news about the atrocities in Bucha hit the Ukrainian news. They are 7 hours ahead of me and the pictures were just starting to to be shown in the Telegram feeds of The Kyiv Independent and Ukraine Now. Ordinary people, some with their hands tied behind their back shot in the head including children, mass grave of about 300, some bodies had been partially burned, some decapitated, mutilated after death.

I have nothing intelligent to add. It's barbaric and evil and sends me to my knees begging God to stop this war.

You Don't Have to Suffer to Show Solidarity

I love history! I love researching and learning about what happened before I was alive.  The Colonial Era and World War II are just two time periods that fascinate me. I have often wondered if I was alive during the '30's and '40's would I have been an isolationist? 

On February 24, 2022 and the days after I had my answer -- NO! While I think I understand President Biden's reasons for not giving the planes and tanks President Zelenskyy so desperately needs, I alternate between frustration, anger, fear, and heartache that we are not doing more. Yes, we have given bunches of money, but it makes me think of the parent who shows love to their child by throwing money at them, when what they really need is their time and presence.

Since the slaughter started over a month ago, I won't let myself look at news while I am at work. But once I'm home I watch President Zelenskyy's nightly address to the Ukrainians, pour over newspaper articles, Telegram posts, tweets, Instagram posts, and watch the news the entire time, multi-tasking until I'm so overwhelmed by the horror of it all I have to stop. By then it's usually well after midnight. On the weekend, it's even worse because I have more time. I'm learning as much as I can about the history of Ukraine. I've been operating on little sleep for over a month.

But how dare I complain, when I choose to do this, instead of being in Ukraine having the horror thrust upon me. My husband has been imploring me to stop. He said, "You can't keep this up. What if this goes on for years?"

Don Lemon is interviewing someone right now as I'm typing this. He asked his guest what the best case scenario is for how long the war will last. He said several more months. Worst case scenario: years!  How can it go on for years? There will be nothing of Ukraine left!

I discovered the account of ukraine_artistry on Instagram a few days ago. She shared a post entitled, "How Not to Talk about the War in Ukraine" When I got to the end of the 4th slide, the last line:

"You don't have to suffer to show solidarity." 

That sentence jumped of my phone at me! I realized that I have been subconsciously feeling guilty that I have a warm home with my loved ones around me, that I'm not suffering -- that I am alive!

This realization hasn't curbed my nightly diet of all things Ukraine though. My heart still aches for them. I still don't know why this is so deeply and profoundly affecting me. But, it is causing me to cry out to God on their behalf. 

Maybe that's my answer right there.

Слава Україні

Zelenskyy, the Oscars, and Westies

 I made the mistake this morning of commenting on this photo on President Zelenkyy's Instagram account.

"You have the full support of this American, Mr. President." 

Two Ukrainians thanked me, a Russian said vile things, which then caused 104 more comments, arguments, etc. I learned my lesson. I will keep my thoughts to myself, or share here. It's not like President Zelenskyy will read it anyway.

I do want to share what he said when he posted the photo: 

"More and more people in the world are on the side of Ukraine, on the side of good in this battle with evil. And if politicians don't know how to follow people, we will teach them. This is the basis of democracy of our national character."

A lot of our politicians need to heed that and listen to the people they are supposed to be representing.

Battle with evil: 

'Peacemaker' Roman Abramovich flew to Russia to 'give Putin a handwritten note from Zelenksy dictating Ukraine's terms' in a bid to end war...but was told, "Tell him I will thrash them."

Слава Україні

________________________________________________________________________________

Did you watch The Academy Awards last night? Even if you didn't I'm sure you were told about the slap heard round the world. The best line from Will Smith's acceptance speech?

Denzel said to me a few minutes ago, he said, 'At your highest moment, be careful, that's when the devil comes for you.'

Too bad Denzel didn't give him that bit of advice sooner.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Something purely innocent and delightful to end the evening: