(opinion article)

Our country has always been among the strongest. Sometimes we were proud of it, especially when our grandmothers and grandfathers told us the stories about Kyiv Russ, the Cossack Times, and WWII. Sometimes, we wanted to go and live abroad. Sometimes, we thought that ‘it’s not cool to live here.’ It was a time when no one in the Western world even knew about our existence. There were a ton of jokes and stereotypes about Ukrainians. ‘Village red necks from Ukraine are eternal red necks…’ We had governments that couldn`t exist without corruption.

But now…

All turned upside down. Everyone in the world knows about us. It gives you so many privileges when you help someone from Ukraine. And we found out that we could be a huge family together inside of our Home. About being proud of… At this exact moment all fellow citizens of Ukraine are the patriots and the biggest fans of their Motherland, because we showed how smart we are, how brave we are, how emotionally and physically strong we are. You know, there is also a phrase, “If I have a chance to choose the nationality, I would choose Ukrainian again.” That shows how much love is in and out of our Home. No one wants to flee the country now, bur plenty of refugees have to. That’s the difference. No matter how afraid we are, nobody wants to stay out of their Home. Now cracking jokes is not a mocking, it’s a philosophy of our stoicism. That is the thing that doesn’t ruin us anymore. That is the thing that encourages our spirit every day. Our government is the example for the whole world. It leads us to the victory, and it stays with us when everything seems to be sucked. They give us hope and belief; they are open-minded and open-hearted. By the way, almost everyone opened his or her soul and heart in Ukraine while helping each other, you know.

So everything has changed inside everyone.

And these vital moments of unity should stay forever…