Your resilience and guts makes every word a work of art. Your writing need not be magical prose , it just needs to be from your heart, and your soul. I’m Canadian , but we may be closer than you think. I need to learn. I learn by the feeling of your writing, the guts of it, not the fancy stuff, the real stuff
Really appreciate your words, dear Wade. This is exactly the connection I was talking about. We are showing the world that humanity will always prevail, no matter the circumstances. We, not only from Ukraine, but from Canada and everywhere there's love and respect for good human values. And I take the chance to say thanks for all your lovely messages. Your kindness embodies everything we usually think about Canada and the Canadian people! 🇺🇦💙🇨🇦
Dear Victor, You matter, your country matters… every life matters. Even though the US is eroding by the day in many ways…I still remember we have food to eat, warm homes and no one is bombing us daily. We have struggles yes…but they are on such a different level.
Your writing gives us perspective, reminds us to be thankful and yes it gives us strength through YOU.
You don’t have to be a famous writer, or someone with decades of experience. You just need to be truthful and see with clear eyes.
Thank you very much, you captured exactly what I meant: our struggles are more universal than we could ever imagine. Bombs and missiles may be a particular manifestation of the situation in Ukraine, but what truly matters in the end is how we handle our problems, our anxieties, our feelings of despair. It doesn't necessarily take a war to bring a devastating outcome to our lives. Sometimes, not having money to pay the rent or being fired from a job may seem small, but are personal wars that can feel just as impactful as what I see here.
Honestly those problems are small compared to yours. They are big when they happen, but after a dose of your reality it softens the blow and prioritizes your thinking. Often we (especially Americans) take for granted all that we have. It takes something bad to wake us up, unfortunately. The generations like my dad who fought in WWll are gone. We need to remember. 🙏🏻
They're not all completely gone, though we are losing more and more of them. My own WWII vet dad (Europe) would've been looking forward to his 103rd birthday later this year; he passed in 2015, possibly thankfully before the country he loved enough to risk his life for voted in someone he would've recognized right off the bat from 75+ years before. X-P
Yes I know there are some still thankfully. But the majority have passed on. I too am glad my father is not here to see this, or my mother. It would break their hearts. This was the generation that saw the Great Depression and WWll. They knew how to survive with little, wasted nothing and valued people, and their freedom with every ounce of their being. We should be more like them. ❤️
Thank you for your beautiful words. You have talent, never doubt that. You’ve touched on a universal human truth, we all have a sense of “impostor syndrome” in our daily lives, and we usually don’t try to understand it or grapple with it.
Your courage, and the courage of your nation cannot be denied. I hope your words will reach out and inspire those of us in the United States to rise up and win in our battle for freedom within our country.
As always, I wish you and yours all the best for peace and prosperity.
Dear Dan, thank you so much for that. Inspiring people in the United States is not only flattering, but also a way to give back everything you have always inspired us with along your history as a nation and as people. If we are fighting for democracy and freedom, we are fighting because we have you as an example to follow, as a standard to reach, as a reminder that these values are worth every struggle and every sacrifice 🇺🇦💙🇺🇸
Beautiful! The student inspires the teacher who has lost thier way. One can only hope and fight harder for decency & freedom. One finds inspiration even in your replies. Thanks again!☮💙
“You could be reading something written by someone who’s spent their entire life studying how to tell stories. People who understand the world with more depth and skill than I ever will. But somehow, you’re here. With me.“
I’m not a professional writer either but there is one thing about it. Having a passion to reach others and share your personal level of depth and skill is of great importance. Life, like writing, is a process. In both, we learn as we age and progress. Knowledge accumulates and we have the capacity to share experiences at any age or stage of life. You are meant to be with us. Your place and voice are unique. Your writing and expressions are words and feelings only you can convey to us. That is why we are here. To share in a story no one other than you can tell us. 🇺🇦💙💛♥️
Thank you, Jaye! I discovered here on Substack, as I'm connecting with you and our other friends here, a passion that someday I'll find words to explain. It's a feeling that goes with the idea that we are not only fighting Putin, Trump, or whatever "real" impostor we have around, but we are all together here restoring some human values that should never be lost and that we unfortunately let go over the last decades. I mean things like compassion and empathy, and I'm extremely glad to feel that I'm participating in that, at least with a tiny part. (Actually, I've always wanted to do something similar, to talk about feelings and exchange them, in my life, and I never reached anything close... well, that's the unexpected things about life that it came because of a war) 💙
It has been said that "War changes everything." Sometimes for the better, often not; like in the aftermath of WWI, when four empires had fallen (German, Ottoman Turkic, Russian, Austria-Hungarian) and the entire European map had to be redrawn. But considering they were among the ones who started it all off in the first place...I just wish they all could've "dissolved" like the Soviet Union into separate nations without all the millions of deaths.
But the differences it makes in people's lives, that can be for the better. I doubt many folks who lived through wars as civilians (or even in the military) would have a desire for any more, and would work toward lasting peace. :-)
I'm so sorry Viktor I live on 1K a month SS after working 45 years. I can barely pay my rent utilities and food. I know this app is going to go to full paid subscription soon and then I'll go back to Blue sky because I cannot afford anything. I don't even own a car which makes me have to get Ubers to my doctors. That gets really expensive.
My dear friend, never ever feel sorry for that. I have a commitment to making these words reach absolutely everyone regardless of anything one could offer. Actually, this is something I'm really sensitive about, not only because I know very well how the cost of living is exploding everywhere, but also because I have experienced several times along my life what it means to choose between food on our table or the book or magazine we sometimes need to learn something to build a better life (or at least to bring some meaning to the one we have.) Although the contributions I receive really make a difference to me and my family, these articles here will never go behind a paywall. If Substack goes full paid, I will look somewhere else to go. Wishing you all the best, love and health. 💙
Thank you so much, I was afraid of going too personal and not being interesting enough, impostor syndrome at its best (or worst), but the proposal is to open my heart, and here it is! 🌻
Hi, Keep writing. It will undoubtedley lead to a book eventually. The Imposter is the title of a book about my mother's mother, who felt like an imposter her whole life, due to the discrimination she experienced in her childhood in Germany, when Slavic people were looked down on and were nevertheless a large part io the intermingled population, like she was. That is what Putin tries to do: Ukraine isn't a country and it has no right to exist. Listen NOT, and survive to tell the tale. Set the imposter feelings aside, it might lead to unwise decisions. Europe and the world is indebted to your country and its people for resisting Putin.
Your words are a gift, dear Johanna. The book you mentioned must be very interesting, I will try to find it somewhere, and I'm sure her story is the experience of millions. About the book, I am really gathering a lot of ideas to make a book, but I'm so disorganized that I didn't realize I was writing three at the same time, which obviously resulted in not even a single one. Imagine how silly I was, planning to release one of the books the next week, and then I had to face another problem... I opened the tools I used to format the book I released two years ago (The Divine Comedian) and I don't remember a bit of how I managed to use them. It was like I had never opened that software before. But I will eventually make that happen, and you will be among the first to know! 💙
Same here! I was beginning to worry when I hadn't seen anything from you for awhile, Viktor, but then reminded myself: "Dude, he's probably REALLY BUSY right now with other concerns on his plate..."
What you write matters to me. It is a connection to my past, present, and future, as a 3rd generation American with all of my ancestors from Ukraine, and living in a country that has abandoned you and me, and all of us. Yes, we keep going. Keep moving forward. We can. That’s all we can do.
Viktor, You are an inspiration to all of us. Your persistence in living & writing & authentic sharing is a gift to us all. I hope your writing is therapeutic for you. You are a true artist & an exceptional soul. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. By the way, I'm 52 and I still doubt myself every day. Perfection doesn't exist. "Good enough" is the best accomplishment... Good enough is awesome! But you are more than good enough... you are exceptional. Much love & Safety to you, your family & Ukraine 🇺🇦 💙 💛💙💛
Ukraine has shown the world the value of democracy, the meaning of courage, and the importance of resiliency.
I hope the West learns these lessons before it's too late.
Your resilience and guts makes every word a work of art. Your writing need not be magical prose , it just needs to be from your heart, and your soul. I’m Canadian , but we may be closer than you think. I need to learn. I learn by the feeling of your writing, the guts of it, not the fancy stuff, the real stuff
Really appreciate your words, dear Wade. This is exactly the connection I was talking about. We are showing the world that humanity will always prevail, no matter the circumstances. We, not only from Ukraine, but from Canada and everywhere there's love and respect for good human values. And I take the chance to say thanks for all your lovely messages. Your kindness embodies everything we usually think about Canada and the Canadian people! 🇺🇦💙🇨🇦
Yes. Thankyou
Dear Victor, You matter, your country matters… every life matters. Even though the US is eroding by the day in many ways…I still remember we have food to eat, warm homes and no one is bombing us daily. We have struggles yes…but they are on such a different level.
Your writing gives us perspective, reminds us to be thankful and yes it gives us strength through YOU.
You don’t have to be a famous writer, or someone with decades of experience. You just need to be truthful and see with clear eyes.
Keep writing, I look for it often.
Happy Birthday to you and may God protect you.
Thank you very much, you captured exactly what I meant: our struggles are more universal than we could ever imagine. Bombs and missiles may be a particular manifestation of the situation in Ukraine, but what truly matters in the end is how we handle our problems, our anxieties, our feelings of despair. It doesn't necessarily take a war to bring a devastating outcome to our lives. Sometimes, not having money to pay the rent or being fired from a job may seem small, but are personal wars that can feel just as impactful as what I see here.
Honestly those problems are small compared to yours. They are big when they happen, but after a dose of your reality it softens the blow and prioritizes your thinking. Often we (especially Americans) take for granted all that we have. It takes something bad to wake us up, unfortunately. The generations like my dad who fought in WWll are gone. We need to remember. 🙏🏻
They're not all completely gone, though we are losing more and more of them. My own WWII vet dad (Europe) would've been looking forward to his 103rd birthday later this year; he passed in 2015, possibly thankfully before the country he loved enough to risk his life for voted in someone he would've recognized right off the bat from 75+ years before. X-P
Yes I know there are some still thankfully. But the majority have passed on. I too am glad my father is not here to see this, or my mother. It would break their hearts. This was the generation that saw the Great Depression and WWll. They knew how to survive with little, wasted nothing and valued people, and their freedom with every ounce of their being. We should be more like them. ❤️
Sending you virtual hugs and strength—stay safe ☀️🌻
Thank you so much dear Betsy! 🌻
Thank you, Viktor. I just finished reading your post; it was precisely what I needed today 🌻🌞
Me too!
Good heavens, if he can still find and hold onto hope while his homeland is coming down around his ears, then the rest of us certainly can.
Good luck Viktor, happy birthday, stay safe! :)
Thank you for your beautiful words. You have talent, never doubt that. You’ve touched on a universal human truth, we all have a sense of “impostor syndrome” in our daily lives, and we usually don’t try to understand it or grapple with it.
Your courage, and the courage of your nation cannot be denied. I hope your words will reach out and inspire those of us in the United States to rise up and win in our battle for freedom within our country.
As always, I wish you and yours all the best for peace and prosperity.
Thank you again.
Slava Ukraini!
Dear Dan, thank you so much for that. Inspiring people in the United States is not only flattering, but also a way to give back everything you have always inspired us with along your history as a nation and as people. If we are fighting for democracy and freedom, we are fighting because we have you as an example to follow, as a standard to reach, as a reminder that these values are worth every struggle and every sacrifice 🇺🇦💙🇺🇸
Viktor, I just hope we can live up to that history. Ukraine is the best example of the fight for freedom. I hope WE can learn from all of YOU!
Be well my friend!
Beautiful! The student inspires the teacher who has lost thier way. One can only hope and fight harder for decency & freedom. One finds inspiration even in your replies. Thanks again!☮💙
Amen. :)
“You could be reading something written by someone who’s spent their entire life studying how to tell stories. People who understand the world with more depth and skill than I ever will. But somehow, you’re here. With me.“
I’m not a professional writer either but there is one thing about it. Having a passion to reach others and share your personal level of depth and skill is of great importance. Life, like writing, is a process. In both, we learn as we age and progress. Knowledge accumulates and we have the capacity to share experiences at any age or stage of life. You are meant to be with us. Your place and voice are unique. Your writing and expressions are words and feelings only you can convey to us. That is why we are here. To share in a story no one other than you can tell us. 🇺🇦💙💛♥️
Thank you, Jaye! I discovered here on Substack, as I'm connecting with you and our other friends here, a passion that someday I'll find words to explain. It's a feeling that goes with the idea that we are not only fighting Putin, Trump, or whatever "real" impostor we have around, but we are all together here restoring some human values that should never be lost and that we unfortunately let go over the last decades. I mean things like compassion and empathy, and I'm extremely glad to feel that I'm participating in that, at least with a tiny part. (Actually, I've always wanted to do something similar, to talk about feelings and exchange them, in my life, and I never reached anything close... well, that's the unexpected things about life that it came because of a war) 💙
Viktor, you are a much better writer than you give yourself credit for. And in a second language, as well. 🇺🇦
It has been said that "War changes everything." Sometimes for the better, often not; like in the aftermath of WWI, when four empires had fallen (German, Ottoman Turkic, Russian, Austria-Hungarian) and the entire European map had to be redrawn. But considering they were among the ones who started it all off in the first place...I just wish they all could've "dissolved" like the Soviet Union into separate nations without all the millions of deaths.
But the differences it makes in people's lives, that can be for the better. I doubt many folks who lived through wars as civilians (or even in the military) would have a desire for any more, and would work toward lasting peace. :-)
Thank you for continuing to write! Such difficult time we are living in....especially the people in Ukraine. God bless you all! Andrea
Thank you Andrea, all the blessings for you and your country too. 🌻
I'm so sorry Viktor I live on 1K a month SS after working 45 years. I can barely pay my rent utilities and food. I know this app is going to go to full paid subscription soon and then I'll go back to Blue sky because I cannot afford anything. I don't even own a car which makes me have to get Ubers to my doctors. That gets really expensive.
My dear friend, never ever feel sorry for that. I have a commitment to making these words reach absolutely everyone regardless of anything one could offer. Actually, this is something I'm really sensitive about, not only because I know very well how the cost of living is exploding everywhere, but also because I have experienced several times along my life what it means to choose between food on our table or the book or magazine we sometimes need to learn something to build a better life (or at least to bring some meaning to the one we have.) Although the contributions I receive really make a difference to me and my family, these articles here will never go behind a paywall. If Substack goes full paid, I will look somewhere else to go. Wishing you all the best, love and health. 💙
Love you Viktor🥰🥰🥰🥰
Thank you Viktor. Beautiful words. You are in my thoughts daily.
Thank you so much, I was afraid of going too personal and not being interesting enough, impostor syndrome at its best (or worst), but the proposal is to open my heart, and here it is! 🌻
Keep going. Sending love!
Hi, Keep writing. It will undoubtedley lead to a book eventually. The Imposter is the title of a book about my mother's mother, who felt like an imposter her whole life, due to the discrimination she experienced in her childhood in Germany, when Slavic people were looked down on and were nevertheless a large part io the intermingled population, like she was. That is what Putin tries to do: Ukraine isn't a country and it has no right to exist. Listen NOT, and survive to tell the tale. Set the imposter feelings aside, it might lead to unwise decisions. Europe and the world is indebted to your country and its people for resisting Putin.
Your words are a gift, dear Johanna. The book you mentioned must be very interesting, I will try to find it somewhere, and I'm sure her story is the experience of millions. About the book, I am really gathering a lot of ideas to make a book, but I'm so disorganized that I didn't realize I was writing three at the same time, which obviously resulted in not even a single one. Imagine how silly I was, planning to release one of the books the next week, and then I had to face another problem... I opened the tools I used to format the book I released two years ago (The Divine Comedian) and I don't remember a bit of how I managed to use them. It was like I had never opened that software before. But I will eventually make that happen, and you will be among the first to know! 💙
You matter to me. Your writing matters to me. Thank you for it all -
Same here! I was beginning to worry when I hadn't seen anything from you for awhile, Viktor, but then reminded myself: "Dude, he's probably REALLY BUSY right now with other concerns on his plate..."
Please stay safe! We need you! :)
Viktor I just love your writing as it is honest and raw. It makes me see where you are and how you fell. It is not fiction. Please stay safe.
Humbling. 🇺🇦
What you write matters to me. It is a connection to my past, present, and future, as a 3rd generation American with all of my ancestors from Ukraine, and living in a country that has abandoned you and me, and all of us. Yes, we keep going. Keep moving forward. We can. That’s all we can do.
Viktor, You are an inspiration to all of us. Your persistence in living & writing & authentic sharing is a gift to us all. I hope your writing is therapeutic for you. You are a true artist & an exceptional soul. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. By the way, I'm 52 and I still doubt myself every day. Perfection doesn't exist. "Good enough" is the best accomplishment... Good enough is awesome! But you are more than good enough... you are exceptional. Much love & Safety to you, your family & Ukraine 🇺🇦 💙 💛💙💛
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BOOKS 💕
Your writing is perfect. Keep doing it.
I think we never reach a place where things are completely settled.
As you say, we keep going.
Sometimes I do better than others, I remind myself to leave myself alone.
Looking forward to your writing. It is very helpful.
In the face of danger you hold on.
Inspires me to hold on also.
💕🗽🇺🇲🇺🇦