I constantly find myself in the trap of reading news and watching interviews that are soothing under the circumstances.
Favorable forecasts, news about how well-prepared (in both technical and training terms) the russian army is, how well-equipped and motivated our guys are. How even russian 'experts' are very pessimistic about the chances of their victory, how they disapprove of the mere fact of negotiation with "Bandera naonazis". I realize how the information bubble works. I may be exposed only to the information that I actually want to see and hear without actually being aware of the other side of things. But, on the second thought, I guess, this is not a very bad thing, too.
In wartime, there is a great need for proper psychological assistance. Any kind of worries if valid and must not be neglected or suppressed - PHOTO CREDIT
The emotional journey during wartime was similar for many Ukrainians. First, denial and total lack of understanding what to do. Then, panic. After that, exaltation and euphoria after the first successes, hope for the swift victory and even re-gaining the occupied territories. Then, after 7-10 days, the hardest part came: exhaustion. Everyone realized this is a marathon, not a sprint run, and we need to prepare for something, that will last not a week, not a month, and not even several months. For me personally, I remember these several days as deep depression and existential crisis. I really didn't expect anything good any more - not just in this war - in my entire life.
This is what our emotional journey looks like: starting with optimism, peaking at euphoria, plummeting to depression and capitulation, and then levelling off back to stable reserved optimism. photo credit
But a mind cannot exist in the state of anxiety and panic for too long. After a few more days, I was a bot soothed and started adapting. My family played a great part in it, and my friends, too. Since then, however horrible this may sound, we have been used to living in the state of war happening outside our doors. I feel very protected, though. My district hasn't been silent for a day, just like anything in the radius of 50 kilometers around Kyiv, I believe. But my district hasn't been shelled, which is fantastic. There haven't been cases of looting in my district, which is fantastic. People living in my district are getting back to their homes after a few weeks of fleeing, which is fantastic.
My favotite city, slowly but surely, is getting back to life. PHOTO CREDIT
The whole city is slowly but surely getting back to its pre-war condition, Like I mentioned in my previous post, I don't believe in the alleged withdrawal of occupant troops concentrated around Kyiv, and I am sure this is not the end. It's no time to relax, and everyone knows that very well. Still, everyone knows how important it is to support the army by supporting the economy. Life goes on, and there are no corrections, like Lina Kostennko said in her famous poem. So, yesterday I had a chance to get an appointment with my orthodontist and order takeaway sushi. Public transport is operating and the city mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, urged scooter and bike rent services to start operating, too. Hairdresser's. dry cleaner's and barber shops are opening. More and more Nova Poshta (the biggest private postal network in Ukraine) divisions are opening every day, and even big trade platforms get back to work.
Tomorrow stores will even start selling alcohol again (which I personally don't think is a good idea in wartime). PHOTO CREDIT
It gives me a lot of hope for people. For something I've been observing over the past weeks: we can unite and work for the goal. The goal may be far and not easily achievable. But if we are patient, diligent, conscientious and hard-working, nothing is impossible.