As I walked through the streets of war-torn cities during some of my trips to the North, East, and South of Ukraine, I couldn't help but notice the striking contrast between the buildings that have been destroyed and reduced to rubble, and those that have remained untouched...
One of the most striking observations I've made is that the rubble of destroyed buildings often looks eerily similar. Whether it's a residential home, a place of worship, or a commercial building, the aftermath of war seems to erase the unique characteristics of these structures, leaving behind a haunting landscape of uniform destruction.
It's as if the very essence of these buildings has been stripped away, leaving behind a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of war...
On the other hand, the buildings that have managed to escape unscathed stand as a testament to resilience and some beauty. Each structure, with its own architectural style and design, tells a story of endurance. Whether it's the ornate details of a historic building or the sleek lines of a modern tall residential building, these untouched edifices exude a sense of grace amidst the chaos of war...
As I reflect on these contrasting scenes, I can't help but ponder the deeper implications of this visual dichotomy. The uniformity of the rubble serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war.
Destroyed souls and lives all look similar in rubble – mental, emotional, spiritual, psychological, social... The real rubble of war isn't just brick and mortar - it's what lies unseen amongst the wreckage. It's the shattered souls and broken lives left in war's wake.
Yes, amongst the physical rubble, some buildings survived - reminding us that even in great trauma, fragments of beauty may persist. But for the invisible rubble of our human nature, would remnants of hope survive? When war scatters the pieces of what was home, family, community, and relationships - can our life regain wholeness again? How? When?
In the aftermath, relief workers toiled to remove wreckage piece by piece. Their efforts gave a ray of light, signaling somebody cared for this place and its people...
But who would clear the rubble of our anguish, grief, and unseen and unspoken and unconfessed scars? Who would gather up the scattered fragments of our dreams, joy and sense of purpose and future?
As buildings can be rebuilt, so too lives ... at least some lives may find reconstruction. But it requires steady hands and caring hearts to reconnect what war has torn ... is still tearing apart. Years may pass before the ghostly remains of suffering are fully removed, and some will never be removed... regardless of how much you read the Bible or pray... And these unhealed and broken souls will be gradually moved to the margins and then to the slums of the Past...
As we try to move forward through the ugly rubble of our souls, let's remember to seek out and celebrate the beauty that we ... that you... that us may possibly find among the rubble... that us may possibly recognize in and through our cry and constantly postponed grief.... that us may possibly witness in the darkest and most painful places of our souls... And only those can witness who dare to go down and deep into those souls and minds...
Every night through the anxieties and feeling of loss amidst the rubble of my soul I try to remind myself: «There is still the potential for renewal... I hope that our brokenness will not lead us to eternal Death... That He is graceful enough... I believe... Help my unbelief...»
From even the deepest ruins, some lives may rise again... some may never... But all our broken souls will hopefully be restored from the slums of the Past at least for the Day in the Future.. On that Very Day... Peace be with you Today
--
Taras Dyatlik, Ukraine
633 days of full-scale Russian war against Ukraine
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