Voice of Ukraine

From Maia Mikhaluk in Kyiv (392nd day of ruzzzian invazzion):

393 days ago seeing lit up streets of evening Kyiv wouldn’t have stirred any emotions in our hearts. It was easy to take for granted this kind of view from the window when you see it every day year after year. It may sound like a paradox but this past challenging dark winter woke us up to a life of gratefulness and despite all the hardships of war life of gratitude is richer than the life of entitlement.

I look at the rows of street lights and at thousands of lit-up windows and I am thankful that we have won this battle – the one where ruzzzians tried to weaponize winter, to plunge us into darkness and despair. We fought back with perseverance, endurance, care for each other, creativity, hard work, courage, faith, hope, and love. The arrival of spring felt like a victory, at least in this battle. We haven’t won the war yet, but that’s coming too!