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A Brief Personal Reflection on the War in Ukraine

By Jay-Ann Arandia

After two years of pandemic-related restrictions, I must admit that I am itching for a travel comeback. So, my husband and I decided to test the waters on our so-called “revenge travel” – a terminology that has been coined to describe the act of travelling to make up for lost time, as well as lost opportunities. I am not going to lie - I am one of those who was forced to reevaluate the importance of travel in their lives, or has developed a new appreciation for travel, and/or has taken travel on a greater meaning and higher importance. But this write-up is not about that. It’s about my first-hand experience interacting with displaced individuals due to armed conflict and a short personal reflection about the war in Ukraine.

On a recent flight from Paris to Calgary I came across several Ukrainian passengers, who obviously had fled their war-torn country. As a natural curious cat, I can’t help but observe the people around me. Not that I was trying to focus my attention on spotting “interesting” passengers, but I guess because we are still in a state of pandemic it is best to be curious and vigilant. What caught my attention was how all the Ukrainian passengers had the same dazed look in their eyes – they were there physically but one could tell easily that their hearts, minds, and souls were somewhere else. It was not surprising to see anyone of them look into a blank space, zone out for a few minutes, then get interrupted by a PA announcement.

I talked briefly with a woman in her 60s, travelling alone and carrying only a small backpack. She said she spoke little English but to my surprise decent enough to explain that she was bound for Saskatoon to be with her daughter, seven-year-old grandson, and son-in-law. After an exchange of a few sentences, the last of which was when she said that she lost her house, car, and everything she owned except for the one backpack full of belongings she had carried when she crossed the border to Poland, I deliberately stopped the conversation. She was already on the verge of tears and so was I. I felt both of us of were trying to hold off being emotional. I ended by simply saying that “Canada is a beautiful country. I hope you will have a good time with your family.” I hoped that gave her comfort.

Whatever you see on TV or social media about people scrambling to free Ukraine with nothing but only a small suitcase or backpack, that is the truthful sad reality. It’s not a media hype. I have encountered the direct victims first -hand. I have felt their anguish. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is barely six weeks old, but it’s already brought unspeakable suffering and destruction, as well as momentous shifts in the global order. Forty-four million people had lost their peace overnight, including everything they had worked for in their entire lives. Thousands had already perished, children orphaned, and families separated. And for reasons many of us cannot and will never ever be able to fathom.

We complain a lot because the war in Ukraine has resulted, so far, in staggering hikes in fuel prices, food and groceries, and anything and everything from essential to luxury. The war has added another layer of uncertainty to the already complicated uncertainties we have been facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That is nothing compared to the amount of misery that the people of Ukraine currently experience. I hear many people ask “Why is everyone in the world impacted by the war between Russia and Ukraine? We’ve seen the same thing happen in the Middle East and Afghanistan in the last thirty years but those did not affect the rest of the world as much as what we’re seeing now.”

What makes the situation different currently is that the aggressor, Russia, is a nuclear superpower. Let us not forget that a confrontation with a nuclear-armed Russia could escalate into a generalized conflict - a third World War. The West has elected not to engage militarily in Ukraine but to offer external support. That’s a sensible and rational decision: no one wants NATO and Russian jet fighters getting too close to each other. Western countries have implemented severe economic sanctions on Russia instead. As a result of the sanctions, hundreds of companies have withdrawn from Russia or halted their operations. Many believe that the country is no longer “investable.” This is putting huge pressure on Russia, but it has also transferred the kerfuffle of the conflict to the global economic sphere. Many experts believe that the ripple effects we are seeing now on the global economy are just the tip of the iceberg. And like the coronavirus crisis, the Ukraine war is unlikely to be the last global systemic shock that could potentially shake the world.

So, as an ordinary citizen, what do we do about it? Focus on the things we can control; that includes emotional regulation and how we choose to react to the challenges around us that are beyond our control. We cannot control many, many things in this world. But we can control how we respond to them – I’d say it’s the simplest form of self-care. Since we are about to choose our leaders again in the Philippines in May, in Alberta in spring 2023 and in Canada before the year 2025, I’d also like to take a slant about choosing the right leaders for our country and community. During his inaugural speech in 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said something that is a fitting message for the whole world today. He said: “We will build the country of other opportunities … and for that, we need people in power who will serve the people. This is why I really do not want my picture in your offices, for the President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait. Hang your kids’ photos instead and look at them each time you are making a decision.”

Remarks and Reactions

Catherine Dilan wrote: Thank you, Jay-Ann, for sharing your touching personal experience with Ukrainians who were forced to flee their homes. Most of us can only relate to the war through the news and social media but are truly inspired by President Zelensky's selfless and servant leadership.

You said so well what we can take-away from this situation - that we are empowered to choose our leaders in the Philippines and Canada and top that with a quote from Zelensky: "people in power who will serve the people ... the President is not an icon, an idol or a portrait...HANG YOUR KIDS' PHOTOS INSTEAD AND LOOK AT THEM EACH TIME YOU ARE MAKING A DECISION."

Anthony L. Po wrote: Beautifully written!

Consuelo Munar wrote: Jay-Ann, I read your recently posted article about your personal reflection on the Ukrainian war. Wow! You blew me away. I felt you exceeded a journalistic level of writing based on substance. I truly enjoyed reading your article.

Dinah Brul wrote: Beautiful write-up Jay-Ann!