We are facing unbelievable reality.
Since February 24th, Russian troops have been invading Ukraine. The beautiful cityscape has been destroyed and there is just mere shadow of what it used to be, historic buildings, churches, museums and schools, just about everything.
It is a violent and cruel tragedy.
And it is not a fiction.
The footages of the news are not something that belongs inside a rectangular frame, but the disorderly shootings are happening right now as a reality.
Civilians including children are being targeted, and their peaceful daily lives have been radically taken away.
Cold-blooded gunfire has also been struck at the long queue of the evacuating citizens.
Elderly people and children walk for hours to seek refuge to other countries. They have to strip off their love to their home country Ukraine and leave the place. People who cannot evacuate, gather together down in the underground shelter, and have to shiver from the fear, hunger and cold.
This should not be happening.
Though the people around the world are crying out “Stop the war!”, why can’t it be stopped?
Has the humanity been such low-levelled creatures? Didn’t we live on a beautiful planet called earth, with an advanced culture and civilization?
We feel ashamed and upset and helpless.
Were we the kind of creatures, who could not learn from our past mistakes?
However, this cannot be simply stated as a battle between Ukraine and Russia.
We cannot simply categorize Russia all together. The news shows Russian people crying out anti-war and they get detained one after another. They get surrounded by the soldiers and beaten by their clubs.
They cannot hold their heads high and are shunned by other countries for being “Russian” and lose their allies, and as soon as they speak out against the battle, they are caught by the government after severe violence. Even a man who stood holding a blank paper in his hand and protested in silence, got caught.
Young girls and small children were also caught and taken away who were walking in the line of antiwar demonstration.
There are many Russian citizens who want peace in Ukraine as much as we do, knowing the reality. It must be really painful to be in such a position.
Those considerate Russian citizens who are detained and subjected to terrible torture for declaring antiwar have nowhere to escape. Even if they could get out of the country, they may never be able to return to their homeland. Some people flee to other countries, leaving behind their parents, relatives and friends and feeling torn apart. There would be no allies there. They may be in a more solitary position than anyone else, considering the difficult situation they are in.
Therefore, we cannot just simply say “No” to Russia, it is the leader of the country and his group around him that we say “No” to.
We are so helpless.
I spend my time wondering what I can do, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
All I can do is shout “Peace for Ukraine! Stop invading Ukraine! Someone, stop the Russian leader!” in my heart.
And play the violin.
Praying to Bach.
I play in my room, not for anyone to hear but continue playing, just to pray.
Even if it does not change anything, I cannot keep my wish for peace just inside me.
Peace is what humanity has been hoping for, for hundreds of years. The wish for peace all over the world is not yet fulfilled.