It’s been a week of heaviness for most of us probably. The actions at play on the world stage right now are concerning, heartbreaking, scary. I have spent a lot of the week watching, listening, quiet. Thinking.
I read something this morning on an Instagram account I follow and this woman’s words rang so true. She said “I am so thankful to have lived through a period of relative peace and prosperity, things have not been easy but as a child I never had to go through the trauma of wars and pandemics. The crises remained far away. Our children are having to brave storms that I was never prepared to help them through.” And dang if she didn’t hit the nail right on the head for me. My childhood, despite any hardships I had to live through, was breezy compared to the ones my child, my nieces, my friends’ children, children all over the world, are having to learn to live with and go through. Right now, there is not much we can do other than bear witness. To the tragedy and the strength. My goodness, that story of the woman who told the soldier in front of her to put sunflower seeds in his pocket so that when he dies on Ukrainian soil, flowers will grow. What power, and poetry, honestly. The bravery. Then I saw this image of female Ukranian soliders marching into the fray, sunflowers in their hair.
In this short time frame we have all heard so many stories of atrocities and strength, and have seen the difference between people thinking they are strong and mighty and the people who truly are.
I am going to plant sunflowers, now, today. Start the seeds with Wyatt and hope that by the time they have grown straight and tall and strong there has been resolution. Continue teaching Wyatt to be a good citizen of the world, to think of others, be kind. To love our neighbors. It’s not much, but its all I can do right now, other than watch along with the rest of the world.
I did find this list online of ways people can help. (I have not researched these organizations or verified them, so if you choose to donate, etc read about the organization first. Also, please note that this article may be triggering for those who are sensitive to this topic. I am also not super familiar with the publishing organization and may not hold some of the same beliefs as they do. I chose this link for the ideas listed in this particular article, although I do plan to explore the Global Citizen website further.)
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
Beautiful post with words of wisdom!
I have adult children & also grandchildren and they are the ones I worry about. I grew up under the uncertainty of the Vietnam War, but there was no internet and that land was so far away and unknown to myself and my friends that we didn’t worry much about it.
Nowadays the world has shrunk due to social media, & we have so many news reports and videos from a faraway place that is not an unknown anymore. The kids can go on twitter, google news, instagram, youtube. Like the song says, “let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Mia. I can’t stop thinking about the families, children, people affected and I know I am not the only one. The world really has shrunk and is right here with us these days, always, in our living rooms, phones, etc. It makes everything so close.
LikeLike
So true. I knew “something was up” during the Cuban missile crisis/Bay of Pigs but was too young that it didn’t worry me. So many other key events of my lifetime were too far away. Ukraine is far away too — but nothing really is far away anymore. What happens one place, we know about and it affects us all. Ukraine makes me profoundly sad. Don’t we learn from history?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember vaguely when Reagan was shot. And I was in the classroom watching when the Challenger exploded. I know I lived through crises – I was also of the generation that sang along with “feed the world” collaboration, but I think it’s like you said, everything seemed far away from me and my world. Now with social media it is everywhere and everyone knows what is happening. The world is on our doorstep and we have “the whole world in our hands” with our phones these days.
LikeLike
That is a powerful image.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really is.
LikeLike
I’m planning to a) make a donation to the Red Cross Ukraine appeal and b) lobby our government to take in refugees and help make things better for them. You’re right about the times we’ve grown up in, though I remember Yugoslavia vividly and that took away my belief we would never see conflict on European soil again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was planning on making a donation as well. The Red Cross was listed in the article I posted; I figured they were trustworthy but it’s good to hear someone I “know” is donating to them. ☺️ And contacting your government about taking in refugees is a great idea!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am reminded of our fears during the Vietnam War, and for a while, things have been more peaceful. Now, not so much. Sending positive energy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely – we need to send out that positive energy. And I can imagine that this does feel very similar!
LikeLike
You are saying so much of what we are all thinking. I love the idea of growing sunflowers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lisa. Our sunflowers have been planted!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Sunday Bookends: Love for Miss Julia, more reading and less watching, and a New Zealand theme this week | Boondock Ramblings
Pingback: My Sunday-Monday Post – Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs..