Today, the news of the day is how Russia invaded Ukraine on orders of Vladimir Putin. Russian forces begin military attacks, striking major Ukraine cities, including the capital, Kiev. Now I honestly do not know the history of Russia and Ukraine to give a knowledgeable commentary on this event. But I do know that a war that kills thousands of innocent people, is never the answer.
I could say that in my forty years on earth, I have lived through wars myself, but all of it seemed so far away. The Gulf War, the war on Iraq after 9-11, there are still some going on out there, but this particular one, with Russia and Ukraine is a bit different. I am watching videos and getting updates from Facebook and Instagram. Real-time reports of things going on in a country on the other side of the world.
And here we are in New Zealand. We’ve just picked up Patty from daycare and took the girls to a nearby playground. My girls playing happily while somewhere in Ukraine, parents are mourning the loss of their children from this violent attack. I look at blue skies and the sun shining on us, while on my phone, I am seeing photos of a snowy, bleak city in Ukraine with smoke billowing out of bombed buildings. It is a strange, scary time we live in.
I am saying a prayer in my heart for my kids to be safe and healthy, while at the same time praying for the kids out there in Ukraine, who will surely be living with this trauma for the rest of their lives. For the parents over there who are suddenly packing up their lives as quickly as they can and running to safer lands as refugees. For the men who are staying behind to join the fight and saying their goodbyes to their families, never knowing if they will see each other again.
It is a strange, scary time we live in. What do we do? I cannot think of anything right now, except that I will make sure my kids understand that violence is never good. For our children to have a chance at living in a better world, it’s our job as parents to educate them. Kindness. Friendship. Love. These are the things that matter. Not war. Never war.
