I was answering a question from my friend Juhan over on Facebook, and realized it was worth putting up here too. He asked how these events in Ukraine affect me as a writer. And here was my answer.
It has made me ever more aware of the cost of war. Yes, on the soldiers who fight, but especially on the innocents — civilians in particular, especially the children, and yes, these families beloved pets. If you are fleeing for your life what do you do about your pets? Abandon them? Try to take them with you? What about the precious memorabilia? How do you chose? What you really want is portable wealth, of course. Jewelry, something to sell so you can keep yourself and your children fed, bribe guards, pay to travel. But gods what agonizing choices.
I have my dad’s baton from when he had a was the leader of a jazz band (I broke the tip off when I was a little kid pretending to conduct), but I treasure this. It would be stupid to take it, but to leave it knowing it might be destroyed crushes my heart.
These are very difficult times. Be gentle with yourself and accept comfort where you find it.
My seven year old daughter Isabeli hugged me yesterday. And she kept holding me longer than usual. She looked up to me and said that if we ever were in a war situation she didn’t want me to go into war. But to flee. And to stay a family.
To hear that from a 7 year old is heartbreaking. To see it happen to other 7 year olds is… unfathomable. Surreal.
I have been thinking about the same things during the last couple of weeks that you wrote about. We don’t have much cash. Some gold. Some crypto. But most of the money is tied to our apartment. Which of course would be worthless during any war.
I found the blog while watching the first season of Picard. Watching it instead of getting some work done.
I think about the measure of a man episode a lot. Even more so now of course. And it was also fun to see your collaboration with G RR Martin. I read the first book of a song of ice and fire when it first come out.
Anyhow, thanks for everything. And stay safe.
Dear Nicolas, Thank you for reaching out to me, and for the very kind words about Measure of a Man. I truly appreciate it.
How heartbreaking it must of been to see your little girl’s fear that you might not be there for her. And those agonizing choices are being forced on fathers and some mothers in Ukraine right now. I’m trying to fathom that we have a massive ground assault taking place in Eastern Europe once again. I am donating to various aide organizations, but it feels like a single rain drop on an unimaginable conflagration. I just hope cooler and wiser heads prevail, and Putin finds some way to climb down from his immoral war.