We have to maintain, dear. We have to maintain.

When you create love and peace within yourself, you can expand it outwards, and outwards, and outwards…

Another restless night in Kyiv (Ukraine). My mom said that the worst came in the morning (5:00 to 6:00 AM) when Russin “peace-keepers” aimed at children’s hospitals across the street from her apartment. The rockets were taken out in the air by Ukrainian defenders and the shells were falling down all over. Her apartment building kept shaking violently. And then it stopped. She checked in with me; sent a picture with a crow—time to rest.

I called her after I woke up.

“How are you feeling, mom?” – I asked.

“Oh, very good, very good. Can you hold on a second? I’m finishing taping the windows to protect glass from shattering during the bombing.”
She proceeded finishing X-ing the window with painter’s tape in the study room (this room was the childhood bedroom that I shared with my younger sister a long time ago).

Then she gloriously positioned herself in the front of the phone and continued:

“After me and Zinochka (Zinochka is a neighbor from the second floor) washed the whole stair-flight, I had a nice supper.”

“How come? What made you wash four flights of stairs?” – I gently asked with a smile on my face.

“We have to maintain, dear. We have to maintain. ” -nodding her head, she answered- “And it is funny you asked.” -she continued-“Because as we were washing the spindles on the stairs, Valya (another much younger neighbor) came out. She asked: “What are you doing? Why bother?” I said: “Valyusha, this house was built before First World War; it stood through the Soviet revolution, Second World War and will continue to do so through this one. Just wait and see. In the meantime, we have to take care of it. And soon, very soon, when all is said and done, we’ll all go outside for a big barbecue to celebrate the Victory!””

Her face was shining, and her eyes were twinkling with joy. My heart was overfilled with love. I wanted to hug her so badly! I wish I could smell her skin and touch her hair.

I laughed – “That’s right, momma. A big one!”

Right after World War II, my dear mother was born in this building in the same 3-room apartment she is residing in now. Back then, it was a soviet commune-apartment—three rooms – three families (one in each room) – one shared kitchen. There were 5 of them living in a small room (the one I caught her in finishing taping the windows).

She is an Elder of the building. She is Bereginya. She is an Elder of the building. She is Bereginya.

(*Bereginya is a Slavic goddess who embodies feminine energy, maternal power on Earth that helps the supreme god create life.)

When you create love and peace within yourself, you can expand it outwards, and outwards, and outwards…

Ok, guys, gotta go… somebody has to clean those stairs now, you know…

Be Alive 🌱
Love ❤️, Julia

(events took place 03/16/2022. Kyiv, Ukraine)

PS. The crow is still there. This is a picture of the crow from this morning. (Those who know know; those who don’t plz check my previous posts👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 )