Spring here is usually a time of joy. Flowers start to peek out of the warming soil. Tourists fill the restaurants and our roadways. People make money and enjoy life.
For the last two years, the flowers still peeked out of the soil even when we were in COVID lockdown. we could enjoy the spots of color in the natural World. Life continued although altered in masks, vaccines, bogged down with protests and conspiracy theories. But, life as we experience it still remained.
Now in the last eleven days the reality of life as we know it has come into sharp focus. There is a thin line between life and death. What we do each day will determine how we view the next day or the day after next or next year or the years of our children and grandchildren. Carpe Diem!
War is not anything new.
Horrific and brutal.
Destructive and violent.
The human race has never lived without war…but we could!
WE as collective of humans can each enjoy the Spring flowers, the fresh air, the smell of laundry coming off the clothesline without the fear of attack, without worry that our neighbor might shoot us. Without the need to have a weapon in order to “protect” our property. But, we must stand and say enough violence is enough!
I was so moved over the weekend when so many thousands of people marched to ask for NO MORE WAR! In support of the Ukranine people who have suffered from this brutal attack from the Russian President.
No matter what you feel about how the American or European leadership or NATO is responding to this situation we all should step back. Look at the human toll.
As a collective of humans should we allow this to continue?
My answer is NO! I feel (after three combat zones of experience) that as a human I want to let other humans experience peace! No more blanket bombs, weapons of any sort! What a nice friendly World that would be…
No, we won’t be able to change human nature of being pissed off when the chickens you have in the your yard make a bit more noise than necessary, or being pissed off at the guy on Sunday who runs a chainsaw thus destroying the peaceful day everyone was having but… we could move forward in a more peaceful way without weapons. Hard to accomplish, yup it sure is.
Are we there yet as a human race? My guess is that we are not, but I can sure try my best to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Spring will come no matter what to us here in Europe.
Flowers will bloom.
Tourists may or may not come.
I will survive and so will my will to be a better human through kindness. Carpe Diem.
© The Cedar Journal, 2021, all rights reserved.
The Cedar Journal 
Paula, thank you for sharing this beautiful (yes), insightful, poignant piece. I am deeply moved by your basic core message of kindness. Take care, dear friend, and know that you are cherished, valued and loved.
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🙏❤️😊
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Beautifully said CJ.
I find the whole situation scary. We are facing the actions of a deranged madman and his sick cronies we must tread very carefully as the threats have already been made and I believe would be used. But for why? What would anybody gain by turning the planet into a radioactive wasteland? Only his pathetic mind knows.
I fear for the future, not mine I’ve had a fair life but that of my daughter and her generation 💙💛
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Totally agree. I think our adult children will not stand by and let this play out… he might be able to control the narrative within the old school USSR mentality but this bright generation of worldly Russians (who are not part of the mafia) will not just stand by and participate in a war that has no basis in reality. I have hope they will all see through this and bring us all to a more peaceful World. 💛💙
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Having watched the brutality dished out to anti-war protesters in places like moscow it is going to take a massive effort for the ‘ordinary’ people to rid their country of this headcase.
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Yup, I think you are correct.
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[…] please take time to read my friend Paula’s post, “Spring in Europe.” You will be moved by the message from this US combat veteran and native Minnesotan living with her […]
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Well said!! I think there is hope in that I have never seen so many people unified against an act of aggression before, and that has to mean something. Of course there is some blame and finger pointing (humans act like humans, as you point out), but there really is a global unity against what Putin is doing in the Ukraine and that’s a good thing. It’s time to work for a kinder and more accepting world….and you are certainly doing your part!
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Thanks Ann, it hasn’t been an easy sort of few days. So much heartbreak and then anger to what is going on… many tears shed. I do know that NATO, US troops are doing all the can within the rules set out to help without provoking an even larger conflict. For me, I know what it is like being shelled, seeing the senseless destruction and suffering of people. I really “feel” this and it is heartbreaking. Being an old Tough Army Chick isn’t enough and writing one small blog seems like such a crazy small contribution. Unfortunately I feel that tougher times are coming to us here in Europe. All we can do is prepare, take care of those who fled the war, and support those NGOs and government organizations that are doing some extremely hard work. 🙏💙💛
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Bless you and all the others who know what it is like to be shelled…. Your courage and service makes such a difference to the rest of us.
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Sometimes it is not really helpful to know so much… we are always a target in these situations. No worries and thanks for all the continued support to our troops. Peace and joy in these difficult times.
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Although nature sets its own course, it’s a given that spring will arrive in all its green glory. I take comfort in that reliability…maybe the one sure thing in our current turbulent time. Thanks!
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Your welcome. Yes, nature has a way of taking care of things even when us humans seem to “F” it up.
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Ah, the signs of spring always brings a smile here. We are currently draped in white once again, so our 63 degree run days were just a teaser. There were some warnings about a few of the plants that started to break through the ground during the winter heatwave, but I did overhear a botanist (on a bird walk nonetheless) who was trying to talk a lady “off the edge” so to speak and letting her know that the critical pieces were still far enough underground and that her garden would be fine. Me, knowing absolutely NOTHING about plant thingies took his word on it — she, not so much convinced ha! As far as the other front goes, I’ve been sheltered from the brutality of war being fortunate to live where I do, but learned enough about it from my father’s service that we need to do whatever we can to prevent it and that always begins with competent leaders. Thanks for getting me thinking about spring again CJ.. for one thing, the long runs in snow are starting to to take their toll.
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😂🤣 You know those runs have taken their toll not because of the snow but because you are now retired.
You know what they say… all is fair in LOVE and WAR. Guess that crazy SOB wanted to test us all to the limits of that. I think he picked the wrong guys to “F” with as they are giving him more than he expected and I know that I will be damn if I will allow him to destroy Europe!
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retired just means MORE time to train hehehe.
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😂🤣🏃🏃🏃🏃🏃🏃🏃
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