There’s a lot to be said for having a life partner. Benefits include: being truly known and still tolerated, maybe even adored, the quiet times when he’s sitting in his comfy chair reading a book and I’m typing away on my computer in a companionable silence … just two souls facing life together. Then there are the mornings when you get to sleep-in while he lets the dogs out to pee, and who wouldn’t want having someone around to hold your hair back when you have to throw up. Yes, having a life partner is a good thing, and as we all know … nothing is perfect.

Sometimes a body just wants to be alone. No offense to anyone else, you just don’t want to see another human face. Sometimes the song he plays on repeat makes you want to throw a brick at his speakers. And, sometimes this sharing-everything doesn’t work out so well like it did for me recently when my life partner shared his tenacious head-cold with me. 

Normally I have an extremely difficult time taking it easy even when it’s clear that I need to in order to get rid of this ‘shared’ head-cold. Fortunately, my cold coincided with the Winter Olympics. If I needed to be on the couch with a box of tissues and hot tea with honey at least I could watch figure skating—my favorite.

I am in awe of the Olympics. For a brief 16 days people around the globe are inspired by the courage, commitment, and awesome beauty of dedicated athletes. We marvel at the support teams of the participants. The ones who work diligently behind the scenes, often without notice to give their athlete the best possible chance to excel. We cheer for an individual’s performance no matter where they’re from. On the ice, the slopes or sled runs we honor our shared humanity. It’s astonishing really.

While buried under covers and blowing my nose I watched the rhythm dance Olympic debut of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik. Vadym, now an American citizen was born in Ukraine. In a brief interview he remarked that he worries people are forgetting what’s happening in Ukraine. He spoke simply to the point, not pressing the issue. He wasn’t preachy or demanding, didn’t ‘use’ the Olympics as a platform, just shared a simple concern. If you blinked you would have missed it.

You can tell a lot about someone if you look carefully at their face. Even from the screen on my wall it was easy to see genuine, uncomplicated concern on Vadym’s face. What I didn’t see was negativity or blame placing, only caring. Now days later I’ve noticed that his presence and simple words have stayed with me. 

When Russia invaded Ukraine I was outraged. It seemed as though the entire world would stand together against this criminal invasion. I bought a Ukraine flag that flew at the top of our flag-pole to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I made it a point to support organizations bringing shelter, medical care, and food to the hurting and hungry. I walked in the woods and lifted silent prayers from my heart to those in pain. I hoped, even expected the end would come soon. 

Russia launched the full scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. On this day, February 24, 2026 the war will have been going on for a full 4 years. 4 years of needless pain and suffering … and horror of horrors, the war seems to have become a feature of the global landscape. Have we simply accepted that’s the way it is?

My Ukrainian flag weathered and was in shreds when I took it down about two years ago. I didn’t replace it. My support waned in light of some tightening in our finances. I regularly walk in the woods and am trying to remember the last time I sent heart-felt prayers into the universe for those in that war-torn country. I had forgotten. 

Even having deep ancestral roots in Eastern Europe hasn’t kept this atrocity in my awareness. I have plenty to eat, shelter and in no threat of bombs exploding in the street. The bloodshed and battle isn’t in my face. It gives me no pleasure to admit being so shallow, but out-of-sight, out-of-mind. 

Russia and Belarus were banned from participating in the Olympics, a stand against injustice on a global scale. My wake-up call came from Vadym. His plain spoken concern broke through my complacency. 

I’m going to order a new flag today. As it ripples in the wind the field of blue and yellow will subtly remind me not to become complacent. I will lift up prayers and once again give whatever I can manage for food, shelter and medical care. 

The Olympics are a bright light in our world. They remind us we are one human family, brothers and sisters around the globe woven together in a tapestry of colors and cultures. No one has to have a deep connection to Ukraine to care, and give what support they can. 

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Dr. Martin Luther King