By Laura Keil Publisher/Editor
Hearing Taggart Wilson’s accounts of his time in Ukraine certainly brought a sense of immediacy to conflict that has been active for more than a year now. News fatigue when it comes to armed conflicts is a real thing. Coping with our daily lives is sometimes all we can handle. The thought of learning about the tragedies in a faraway land is not something we’re willing to do, at least not every day. I’m grateful to Taggart for sharing his experiences in Ukraine, because for me it has brought a fresh light to the human experience in Ukraine outside the war zone, and highlighted the ongoing struggle of people all across that country. There are so many mundane acts that make up our daily life, and so too, during a war. The weighing of vegetables, the stuffing of sausages, the packing and cleaning and chatting. These are activities most people can do, and the Lviv Volunteer Kitchen has drawn people from all over the world. Taggart touched on an important aspect of the international volunteer effort – the sense of solidarity it brings to the people of Ukraine. That other countries haven’t abandoned them, that people do care. How amazing that someone from our valley travelled all that way to lend a hand. This valley has an incredible heart, and this is a stunning example of that compassion and caring.
