Homecoming

April 7th

I am trying really hard to stay sane. It is becoming more and more difficult with all the news coming from Ukraine about war crimes and massacres and tortures inflicted on the civilian population by bloodthirsty murderers and thugs of the invading army of wannabe soldiers and hard men. I don’t watch any films, videos, or photos that are now available online. Just reading the titles makes me sick to my stomach and makes me shiver with a fit of powerless anger.

I am looking for moments of relief just to put my mind at ease for a while, just to catch my breath from the knowledge of the unspeakable pain that so many people suffer right now. I still want to enjoy the spring and sun and the upcoming days. It is selfish, but it keeps me sober — literally and figuratively.

I had a moment like that today — I went outside for a cigarette and saw the first storks flying in from the winter in Africa and the Middle East! I know that the national bird of Poland is a white Eagle, but in my opinion, the common stork would be a better choice. And in the area where I live, there are thousands of their nests in hundreds of local villages. There are villages where every home, every stable, and every pole has a nest that provides a place to raise the young ones in suitable habitat. And the habitat for storks in the northeast of Poland is perfect. With so many wetlands, rivers, streams, even run-off ditches, and a steady supply of frogs and mice and other rodents, they have it good. This particular pair (and storks mate for life — which is something that humans might strive to) was circling a particular area of the village that is the part of the suburbs where I work. I know they were looking for their nest. The same nest that they used in previous years. I am sure that after the winter, that nest would require some touching up to make it secure and livable again, but the fact that they know that it is there, waiting for them after the arduous flying over the seas and mountains made me smile.

Simple sight and simple thing — but enough for my mind to brighten up for a moment. And I remembered all saying from my grandmother that if the first stork you see in the spring is flying, that means for a person seeing it that a lot of travels will await this year. If the first stork you see in the spring is in the nest or waddling in the grass, that means that person seeing it will stay put for the rest of the year. I do plan and hope for a lot of travels this year — but of course only by my decision. Not by the force of circumstances. But for a moment I felt happy and felt like I was getting a second wind to face reality. That is all I ask and can appreciate now.