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What to do?

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I’ll sure be happy when I can take some photos of the outdoors! Right now, it’s very bleak looking out there, though almost all of the snow has melted due to the warm temperatures yesterday. I opened the window in the den this morning and got a whiff of fresh spring-like air and I felt that little bubble of – what would you call it? Happiness? Hope? I don’t know what it is but I’ve felt it every spring since I was a child.

The warm temps will drop to the forties again tomorrow, but this little warm and rainy spell has shown me that spring is not far off.

But mostly, my friends, I’ve been consumed with rage and worry about the war in Ukraine. I don’t obsessively watch it on television, I try to limit that – but I do read about it. It’s heartbreaking what is happening to that country. And nothing I’m feeling is even close to what Ukrainians are feeling and going through. Putin needs to be stopped. And I feel we need to do more – that NATO needs to do more. I know all of the arguments (and heaven knows, they are valid) against a no-fly zone, and engaging the Russians directly, but Ukraine is fighting this alone and it doesn’t seem right. Are we always going to be held hostage by Putin’s nuclear threats?

I don’t begin to say I know the answers. I’m speaking from my heart. And let’s not forget that we’ve let other conflicts go on without lifting a finger.

And there you have it, I go in circles.

I’m sure you are feeling much the same.

I don’t feel very articulate today, so I’ll leave my thoughts as they are with a little apology for my meandering ramble.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Comments

  1. I know how you feel!! I am so angry and upset at the situation. Something has to be done but I don’t know what that something is that will stop it. My heart goes out to the many people in Ukraine who are suffering because of one man.

    Marion

  2. I am so so upset about all this.
    Putin is keeping us hostage that is how I feel.
    Talk talk talk you cannot talk with Putin.
    Our country needs to do something.
    How much longer do we talk as we watch the slaughter.

    • I know. I have to trust that there are minds who know much more about this than I do and they are weighing everything.

      Thanks Linda.

      Stay safe.

  3. I do know how you feel. Unfortunately, there is no reasoning with a madman. It is a very depressing. There are so many other things in life to be happy about, but it is hard to do that right now. It’s hard to feel any happiness, when you think of what the Ukrainian people are going rough right now. I don’t have any solutions either. I just have to trust that smarter minds than mine will do the right thing.

    Enjoy your breaths of fresh air….we are currently in the midst of a snow event. 4+ and counting. Wet and heavy. Should make for a good afternoon of anger releasing shoveling! ;)

  4. Dear Claudia… you may not “feel” very articulate today, and yet you have perfectly captured the jumble of thoughts & feelings swirling in my head re Ukraine and the evil of Putin.

    So very, very many of us share your feelings of anger, rage, worry, anxiety, sadness, etc. re Ukraine, and I appreciate the manner in which you distill your thoughts & feelings and share them here.

    Thanks ever so much for sharing the photo of your bookshelf today… I see a few titles that I’ll be checking for at my library later today.

    Stay safe, stay well.

  5. Claudia, it is difficult to watch what is happening. Keep in mind the current administration has the best people working together to help. Having nuclear weapons at the fingers of mad men is disheartening. I prayed for 4 years that the idiot who said we have them so why don’t we use them will never run my country again. I am heartened by all the EU countries pulling together and helping refugees. I just keep the hope in the back of my mind this will be the end of Putin and all these people can return home to rebuild their country. And we need to do our duty to vote the right people into our own government so this doesn’t happen here. I’m sure this rant didn’t help, but we have to find hope somewhere.

    We have had beautiful weather but woke this morning to 23 deg and snow. The birds are at the heated birdbath and they have fresh seed on the ground. And our little goldfinches made an appearance yesterday. Makes me incredibly happy. I also just finished an excellent book called Exit by Belinda Bauer.

    I’m glad to see so many people on this site who have love and empathy. You are a great “family “.

    • Just had to block someone who has no love or empathy. For the third time. She keeps coming back spewing ignorance and hatred.

      But everyone else is the best.

      Thanks so much, Verna.

      Stay safe.

      • I saw that comment(s), Claudia, and I’m sorry you have to run into such stuff because it’s upsetting; thanx for putting yourself out there for the rest of us.

  6. Yes . . . terrible, horrible, unbelievable, unimaginable. And I can’t help thinking how similar the previous orange occupant of the White House is to this madman in Russia. So very similar. And I hope their outcomes are similar.

  7. Claudia, you and all the other commenters have said everything perfectly. I don’t know what the answer is either. I wake up, remember what is happening in Ukraine and feel disbelief and depression. We have given money, but that can only do so much, so one is left feeling helpless. I do believe in the power of prayer, so I’ve been praying a lot.

  8. No words I think we must pray and pray believing that good can and will overcome evil. That love and wisdom rule .

  9. one way we can help the Ukrainians, vote against every republican that appears on a ballot.

  10. Not only NATO, but the world community of the so-called Free World must now stand together and stand up to Putin with ostracism, severe sanctions and, if necessary, weapons. God help us here in Europe, we cannot solve this alone!
    Stay safe
    Helga

  11. I feel the same about Ukraine. I try to remember that we are likely not aware of some of the actions going on. Maybe more is being done than we realize. I think Putin will only stop if he is given a way to save face. I don’t know what that would be, maybe the donbas region. He will get something he wants if not the whole country.
    It’s heartbreaking to watch the news but I feel like it’s important to know, to bear witness.

    Take care

    • I agree – there is much going on that we don’t know about. Greater minds than mine are doing everything they can.

      I absolutely feel it’s essential to bear witness, Marilyn.

      Stay safe.

  12. I could have written this. My thoughts exactly. Let us all hope for a brighter day tomorrow.

  13. Just horrifying to see what’s happening. For now, sending as much aid as possible to help refugees is a start.
    There’s a large Polish community in my town who put out an appeal for items such as new clothing, toiletries, toys as they have trucks and drivers able to drive to Poland from England.
    Within hours they were filled to capacity. Police were called to sort out the surrounding streets which were blocked by folk wanting to leave donations!

    • What a heartwarming story; thanks for sharing this about your Polish community! It’s like light in the dark.

  14. I couldn’t agree more, Claudia. We are being held hostage by Vlad the Impaler. I understand the concerns and know they are doing their best, but wish we could do more. I don’t care about the tax costs or the gas costs; this matters. I shudder to think what would happen if we were under our “old regime” — there would no longer be a Ukraine of any kind, I fear and there would be revolting cozying up, probably enough to send me to Canada if I could. I have sent relief funds and am hoping refugees will come to my community so I can either take someone in or at least help them settle. I am proud to see our government working with NATO after those dreadful years of doing all possible to help NATO crash and burn. There is huge unity and that warms me. But the video — and I watch more than I should — is breaking my heart.

    On another note, it’s so nice to see many “dear friends” on your bookshelf and a reminder that no matter where we live, many of us share a love for the same writers.

  15. I feel exactly the same, the whole situation is just terrible. just heartbreaking for all those poor people. Keeping them in my prayers.
    Jillxx

  16. Claudia, you’re always articulate, never fear.

    It’s a good thing you are NOT watching too much info about Ukraine and the refugees on TV and everything ruined and bombed out because it’s scenes one can’t get out of the brain. The very-elderly people with one small bag and a dog on a leash, trying to flee when they can barely walk because they are somebody’s grandparents and they are OLD; another young guy carrying out his large dog in his arms and only a backpack, small child after small precious child (one little girl holding her worried cat peeking out of a carry-bag on her shoulder), sweet little babies in overwhelmed mothers’ arms, the moms leaving behind their lives which too often include their husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles. I have to pull away because I can’t stop the tears. One middle-aged woman said, crying, “It was all so beautiful and now it’s gone.” They love their country and it’s being taken from them; and, as she said, “Why?”

    One woman said, pointing to her small valise: “68 years of my life are in this bag.” Mementoes of what was. I think to myself, “It could be me. What would I do?” Another younger woman, 30-ish, said, “I have this bag. Everything else I left behind … my house, my husband, my dog; my LIFE.”

    I knew I was too saturated with a feeling of loss for all these dear, innocent people when I said aloud to my husband, with the nuclear power plant threat over there, “Is this how it ends? Is this how we die? That we’re all going to get nuked, thanks to this madman in Russia who does not value human life? Is this the end of the world?”

    So, that’s when I started to withdraw from so much ‘news’ because I have an obsessive personality I wish I could better curb; I keep turning on the TV to check in, and the news is always awful. Instead, I’m only allowing a smattering to infiltrate my being, enough to stay informed but that’s enough for the moment. (I’m sure Ukrainians would like to pause and take a time out, but they don’t get that privilege; it is so unfair; yes I feel rage because this is so unjust, so criminal, what’s happening to a large population of my fellow humans. It IS uplifting to see the border countries stepping up to welcome the fleeing Ukrainians, their neighbors; this is when goodness of people rises to the top because it is our natural inclination, our positive default, to HELP others, not cause harm.)

    We are 72 degrees in sun and high wind today at 1:30pm PST (not my favorite Calif weather pattern; I get so tired of WIND) but I’m to go sit in the swirling clear air with my troubled new foster dog as we watch Daddy upgrade the fence (since aforesaid troubled shelter dog is a mega jumper and escape artist). And I will pray for Ukraine and (I guess selfishly it sounds) be glad I’m otherwise alive and well on such a clear, beautiful, blue-sky day (trying to dispel the images of dark, cold, gray, ash-covered, smoke-choking, snowing Ukraine, a place I’ve never been nor will probably ever visit, but whose strong and courageous people have stolen my heart and whose pain and grief I wish somehow I could ease).

    Thank you for allowing the space here to emote right alongside you, Claudia.

      • I wish I had a separate Tiny House on my property (like some people have for a home studio or extra housing for guests or their college-age kid who’s sometimes home and sometimes not) so that I could temporarily give shelter to a refugee. Just anything to give comfort and protection to a Ukrainian family who is suffering. It’s that suffering that gets to me, their anguish; their tears and fear is so real, the genuine and heartbreaking emotion of despair and bewilderment; trying to make sense of what makes no sense; how nothing is ‘sure’ for them; they are vulnerable even with that incredible inner strength and patriotism/being united that will somehow get them thru this nightmare. The world already had enough suffering … and now, this.

  17. Hey everyone, I apologize for the appearance of an ignorant troll on this account. Terri has been around for a while, but until Trump, her true colors were hidden. She’s mean spirited, ignorant, and has no place here. I have blocked her 3 different times and I’ll keep blocking her. She responded to some of you directly today and that behavior will not be allowed on this blog. It is a safe space, a space for those with kind hearts and empathy. Terri has neither of those qualities. If she appears again – she’s that desperate – you are welcome to have at her, but really, she’ll be gone in a flash. I hope she gets some help.

  18. I feel the same way, Claudia. It breaks my heart . I try to avoid watching much news, but still see the devastation going on in Ukraine.

    • Yes, I avoid too much news, but as someone else said, we must bear witness.

      Thanks, Sandy.

      Stay safe.

  19. Thank you,Claudia. I have been so depressed for days and can’take bear to look at TV.I listen to NPR and read the NYTimes.Yesterday on Facebook one of my friends posted a photo of baby strollers that Polish mothers have left at a train station for those fleeing with small children. I could not get that image out of my head for the rest of the day. Even own as I type this it is through tears.This is filled with typos,but I am too lazy to start over. Love to you ,Don and all your followers who are feeling the sadness .xo

  20. It is a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation. I do believe that he will not stop at Ukraine. We either fight him now or we will be in this same situation later. I am not afraid to say that I hope members of the Russian government do what they need to do to get rid of Putin.

    • I’m not afraid to say it either – and have said it!

      Thanks Carolyn Marie.

      Stay safe.

  21. dear Claudia/Don — TV news stories are terrible, I can read from the internet much better than watch live reporting. was thinking today, “what if Putin wants Alaska back?” will he just shoot his way in and take it? it was Russian land, you know, much like Ukraine. it would make about as much sense as what he is doing w/Ukraine. hope all of us stay sane, safe/healthy

    • Exactly. Although I don’t think he’d do that, your point is valid. He’ll try for Poland next. He must be stopped.

      Stay safe, Linda.

  22. I keep checking to see what is going on in Ukraine and it is just all to sad to take in. They showed a little boy today walking along, crying and with no parents! It just seems like something should be done to Putin, like make him disappear! We got through Covid and now this. I hope Don is feeling a little better. We have spent the last couple weeks emptying out a storage unit full of my in-laws stuff, and I mean stuff! I don’t think my father-in-law ever threw out anything. So much paper from years ago. We finally had a garage sale this weekend to get rid of some of the bigger items. It is exhausting! I don’t feel like I can complain about anything though after watching those poor people leaving everything they have ever known. How will this end? We can all pray it will end soon. Keep smelling that spring air. Stay safe!

    • It’s hard to complain about anything, though I must admit I’ve complained about a few things.

      Stay safe, Deb.

  24. I am feeling the same, too, as are many of us. I am relieved that countries are now providing them with anti-aircraft missiles and other weaponry but I keep wondering who is left in Ukraine to operate those specialized weapons? I don’t know the answer, and, like you, I have to think that there are experienced people thinking through ramifications of each step. I keep remembering the Lend-Lease program from WWII where we attempted to avoid being dragged into the war while still helping the UK, only to be dragged in anyway. I keep asking if Putin can hold us back by threatening to use nuclear weapons, what will happen if he attempts to overrun other countries? Will the world watch then, too?

    You’re also right in noting that we as a country and a people ignored other conflicts where people were slaughtered. Why? My charitable thought is that we can so easily imagine ourselves living in those Ukrainian cities being bombed, trying to flee, while perhaps it’s harder to imagine being caught up in different topographies and types of dwelling places, as was true of the Second Congo War or that against Boko Haram. I fear that there’s still, even in the most empathetic of us, which I so want to be, the tendency to identify more easily with the plight of people who look like us. I hope I’m not guilty of that. I do think part of this horror is that we’ve never quite lived a war “live” like this, watching as it unfolds. A huge part of that. This is not an accusation I’m levying against anyone else: it’s a question I’ve been asking myself about myself again.

    • Good points, Linda. I wish NATO had immediately granted Ukraine membership. They should have.

      Stay safe.

  25. Going through our Kyiv photos from 1994, all the cranes building a new country in hope for the future. So sad to think of all the destruction and suffering. So wonderful to see the world coming together in support. Like others, I know there is much behind the scenes that is happening.

    Let your representatives know you support Ukraine, democracy and the response to this crisis! Your voice matters now more than ever.

    “Stay safe and stay strong” was the signoff on our NPR station this morning. I think I’m adopting it.

    As always, glad for this empathetic community of lovely souls.

  26. Thank you for sharing your thoughts as I think most of us feel the very same way. I turned off the news this morning because we have the wee-one on Mondays & I do need joy in my heart to be a good Nana.

    But should I turn it off because it is “too much” for me? Such a luxury the Ukrainians don’t have…I am struggling with that (probably) selfish behavior. The only way I can find any peace with the choice is I know we aren’t seeing the rest of the story or the true story in the slants the TV news puts on for viewership. But I swear I will NOT complain about gas prices or rising prices right now due to those gas prices. It is such small thing we can actually do. Seemingly one of the few things we can do….take care.

    • I know that I have to limit my viewing for my anxiety but I also cannot NOT pay attention. I regulate the amount of television I watch, and I supplement that with up-to-the-minute reports from Twitter.

      Same – no complaints about gas prices.

      Stay safe, Chris.

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