Courage

Never in the twenty three thousand days that I’ve lived on this planet did I believe the day would come that I would see a superpower attack a neighbour under the lie of protecting freedom.

But now I wake up every day to see images of the devastation that is being unleashed on a free country and its people. The heartbreak and despair that I feel from these images wounds me to my core. This is not just an attack on Ukraine but an attack on all people that hold freedom and the right to self determination close to their heart.

This is 2022 not 1939!! How can we let this happen? Have we not learned from history the unimaginable cost at stake here? All that our grandfathers fought and died for is under fire.

Every free country on this earth should stand together and provide an umbrella of shelter to the people of Ukraine. I know this will take great political courage that will have consequences but not standing beside our brothers will have much greater consequences in the future.

We have a superpower threatening the use of Nuclear weapons! We cannot; must not, let this kind of fear mongering allow free reign for a Nuclear power to do as it pleases. The world as we know it will be forever changed if we show a lack of resolve or courage in the face of these threats.

At first I wasn’t going to write anything for the “Moment of Freedom” challenge as I didn’t see how it would help. But I have decided that I need to say something and do something.

I have made a donation to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). My hope is that people reading this will click on the link which will bring them to their page for Ukraine. Any amount donated will help the people of Ukraine. No amount is too small. Every dollar counts.

In the words of the Rolling Stones from their song Gimme Shelter,

War, Children, It’s just a shot away. It’s just a shot away.

Love, Sister, It’s just a kiss away. It’s just a kiss away.

Courage

How can we stand by and do nothing

Even when free life is under attack

Let us not forget our history

Perhaps it’s political courage that we lack

***

Fear as the earth shakes underneath her

Razing all she’s known to form a Pyre

Every thump of the impacts getting closer

Evil flying overhead and spitting fire

***

Unrelenting madness wrapped in power

Killing innocent civilians with no remorse

Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix

Active brave resistance stays the course

In every town the heroes fight for freedom

Never thinking twice about their fate

Everything! All they love and stand for is at stake.

***

Nuclear threat builds a weak man’s obese ego

Over nothing more than pride and a piece of land

We must be as brave as Ukraine; Give them Shelter and help them stand.