Following is an excerpt from Light in the Fields, a memoir of growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine and immigrating to the USA by Yuliya Shirokova, to be published by Blue Ear Books. A second excerpt will be published on Friday, March 3. I came home from work completely exhausted. For the past couple of weeks, getting anything done at work had been a herculean effort. Today, though, all the tasks seemed to very effectively fall into place. I did not need to negotiate, search, beg, or bargain with anybody. Yet I felt completely drained, and it was only the middle of the week! Mechanically, I went through my post-work routine. Feed the dog, change clothes, walk the dog, prepare lunch for tomorrow. Nothing was shaking the melancholy, the feeling of worry inside me. Almost like an anxiety attack, deep sadness kept filling my chest, making it hard to breathe. I wanted to talk to my mom or sister, but it was still too early in Czechia and Ukraine. They would be getting up for work in a couple of hours. I guess I will be going to bed very late today, I thought to myself.
This and the events of the entire last year have brought back so many memories of our life in Kyiv (1996-1998). I continue to pray for the people of Ukraine. Thank you for sharing you own experiences as the war unfolded.
Waiting for the invasion: Kyiv and Seattle, Feb. 24, 2022
This and the events of the entire last year have brought back so many memories of our life in Kyiv (1996-1998). I continue to pray for the people of Ukraine. Thank you for sharing you own experiences as the war unfolded.