as i sit in my comfortable home, i think of what it must be like for the people of ukraine who have lost everything except their lives. their homes are destroyed, their livelihoods are no more, they are often separated from other members of their families, loved ones have been killed, other family members are off fighting in the war, perhaps never to return. many have been forced to flee to other countries to live on the charity of others. i wonder how they have the courage to go on in the face of so much loss.
i try to imagine how great their suffering must be but i have no experience to help me stand in their shoes. there are many in the world who know what it is to lose so much--the people of syria, the tibetans, the palestinians. in our sheltered lives here in this country, we have not experienced such loss in over one hundred and fifty years. we sit in comfortable chairs, sleep in comfortable beds. when we flip a switch the lights come on. our cars sit in our garages ready to take us wherever we want to go. for most of us, hunger is a very temporary condition that is easily remedied. certainly, there are those who live under much poorer conditions. there are those among us who must struggle to provide food and shelter for themselves and their families. many are homeless. it is easy to turn a blind eye to the plight of the poor, but even they do not suffer the horrible situation so many in ukraine now face.
like others, i am filled with admiration for the courage of the ukrainians. they endure for the sake of preserving their homeland and their national identity. they fight to keep their freedom and their democracy. they stand firm against an evil that would force them to be the subjects of a foreign power, as most of the world supports their struggle. knowing how many millions of people are on their side must be a source of strength for them. perhaps their war against oppression will free the people of russia in the end, as more and more russians become aware of the awful destruction their leaders have brought to ukraine.
may we continue to stand with the ukrainians in their fight, doing whatever we can to help them. may we work with other countries to support them and to care for those who have been forced to flee their country. may we give thanks for our own freedom and our peaceful existence in a land where we do not have to fear a foreign enemy's invasion. may we summon whatever compassion we can for both the people of ukraine and for the ordinary people of russia who are being forced to support an unjust war. shalom.
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