Today is International Women's Day - a day that I think should be celebrated every day, but apparently we get a "special" day just for ourselves. So ... that's OK. It's good to remind others of the strength and depth that women have to offer. When I look at the people fleeing their homes and leaving everything behind in the war zone, it's the women that are being pushed toward the borders. They're running, caring for the children, and leaving everything behind them. Could you do that? I hope you never have to try.
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Hitler entered Austria on March 12th and addressed the people of Vienna from what's now called the "Hitler Balcony" on the first of April. There was a lot of support for him in the nation, it was a bloodless coup. |
My own mother had to do that. She was young, less than a month away from her 26th birthday. Hitler entered Austria on the 12th of March, 1938, and was greeted with jubilation by the Austrians. Mom was on her way to England the next day, leaving Dad behind to try and walk his way to freedom through Switzerland. They wouldn't be reunited for many long years. The only positive was her lack of children - she didn't have to take kids along with her as she escaped. But with only two suitcases to her name, she left everything else behind her and ran for her life. They had been married for a bit less than six years.
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Women and children are fleeing Ukraine - almost 1-1/2 million people have left the nation so far, leaving their husbands, fathers and brothers behind to try and stall the Russian troops. Thank goodness for the prompt opening of the neighboring borders to these refugees. They are finding welcome and assistance in Poland, as well as some other neighboring nations. |
I see the women pushing into the buses and trains now, children in their arms or clinging to their coats. It's cold in Ukraine right now, cold, damp, wet. The world is weeping as they flee from the Soviet forces, and their husbands are left behind to do whatever they can against a large, well armed invader. I'm amazed and uplifted by the strength I'm seeing in these women and children. Some take the difficulties easier than others, but it's a hard journey for everyone with no real end in sight. Many of them might not see their husbands, brothers, or fathers again, and that's beyond tragic.
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Ukrainian refugees aren't going to go north to Belerus. Belerus is a satellite of Russia, so no refuge there. Slovakia and Hungary are helping somewhat, as is Romania, but the largest border and most welcoming nation is Poland. Poland has been outstanding in all of this - opening their border, their hearts and their homes to the refugees. |
Meanwhile, politics continues. People make speeches and exclaim with pity and sorrow, but nothing really gets done. That angers me. As a free world, we should be doing a lot more than we are, to help Ukraine. But we're sitting on our hands, and I can't figure out why. Do the leaders of the "free world" really think that Putin will stop with Ukraine? No. After Ukraine will come Poland - a land that Russia has wanted back under it's control for a long time. Slovakia and the other neighboring nations will fall, and then Putin will be ready, at the back door of free Europe, to begin chipping away at the many smaller nations in Europe. It's not a big stretch of the imagination. If the free world drops the ball on helping Ukraine and stopping the advances of Russia now, within five years, they'll be facing the same decisions as the Ukrainians, only this time on their own borders.
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The map is a bit dated, Russia is grabbing a toe hold in Ukraine at several points, but Ukraine is still standing, still fighting, and still alive, despite a serious lack of assistance from the West. Is this the beginning of WWIII, if you actually check the history, we've probably be in WWIII already for several years, we just haven't recognized it. |
On that depressing note, I'm out of here. It's a swimming day today, and I think I need to leave some of my frustrations in the pool. I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with a more upbeat post. Peace!
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