It has been more than 100 days since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. I call it war, not conflict or any other socially acceptable term. These days, Ukrainians experience air strikes, need to flee their homes, life in refugee camps, constant fear for their lives and the fates of their kids, and anger… But, the anger is stronger than the fear, offense, feelings of helplessness, and sadness. Anger at the fact that someone has just entered their land ruined their homes and compromised their lives.

As with any emotion, anger fades with time. It is the nature of the human psyche. In the long run, people cannot experience intense emotions because eventually, burnout and apathy set in. Everyone adjusts to everything, viewing it as a normal part of life. Human cognition allows our minds to adapt to atrocities, lose the fear of sirens, and stop analyzing the action routes during attacks. Your everyday life is going on as usual. Still, suddenly… you see a story, which awakens your mind from its dream and brings back all the emotions…

The upsurge in my emotions occurred after I read the story Anna Zaitseva from Azovstal. “Azovstal,” I pronounce with tears in my eyes. Azovstal is a recurring wound on the body of Ukraine that will never heal. Yet, Azovstal is more than just a plant – it represents resistance…

Anna Zaitseva spent months in Azovstal’s undergrounds with her 3,5-month-old baby. It is more challenging to comprehend this fact than to write about it. When you have a baby, and I’m a mom of three, you think about a happy childhood, future breakthroughs, accomplishments, and the desire to protect your baby amidst all the odds. However, this mother’s story was different because her baby spent 57 days in Azovstal’s underground without seeing the sun or breathing fresh air… The boy, according to Anna, was lucky because he was not hungry, fearful of the bombs, which were constantly being hit, or aware of possible death…

In the 21st century, a mother views her only son’s inability to comprehend the whole horror of war as a blessing. That sounds surreal. Children go to sleep not knowing if they will wake up in a world of calories, lactose-free milk, and gluten-free cookies…

Our world shows us a new reality. In contrast to the stable and comfortable one, we’ve grown accustomed to. Therefore, it is crucial to fight for what you believe.

The story is just one of the countless others, as thousands of mothers have to live with their babies while praying to escape the attack. However, it shows us a glimpse of hope. It shows there is always a way out, even from hell… even when you have to face the demons of a people… who try to kill you constantly.

This story shows that Ukraine is worth fighting for…its people are standing up for the values they believe in, for freedom and independence…

Creating tomorrow’s future begins today. Ukraine deserves a bright future since it pays for it with the tears of its children, its citizens’ blood, and its soldiers’ bravery.

And what is your future? Are you taking at least a tiny step to defend the values you believe in? If you can do a small thing today, that may dramatically alter the course of your life tomorrow.

Tomorrow is not a matter of time, but a matter of choice, so make it consciously today!