Poison of the Apple

An Ode to Ukraine and the Promised Land

There are always men like him. Always. Sometimes, within our very midst.

Your fight is just. Your fight is righteous. Know that those on the upper left side understand your pain. The labor pains of freedom. And although you might not know that our pain is your pain, know that we are with you and with all who struggle to see the Promised Land of agency and freedom. What you cannot know is that you must first walk through the crucible of unknowing while walking over the fiery coals of rebirth to the sunny shores of freedom by yourself as many of our forebears did so many years ago. The irony being of course that one cannot know something until they know something. A free person can explain to a non-free person what it is like to live free but it is an abstract concept until that person starts their own business, buys their own home, pays taxes and votes for the first time, all without corruption or other hallmarks of less free societies.

Some say that the upper left side has not completed that journey as of yet, and the author is inclined to agree, as we struggle with our own capitalistic demons. And it is this necessarily transformative schism of loss and determined defiance that makes for a free people. The Struggle. Perhaps more appropriately labeled, “The Struggle Not to Struggle.”

Many looking inward through the shiny window of freedom think they know what it takes, or that it can be handed to them, like so many trinkets. It is a nice thought. But all democracies are borne of great toil and sacrifice. And that is a fact borne of bitter experience. It is easy to live under tyranny, simply because one has no expectation otherwise and certainly no rights with which to form agency over the destiny of one’s own life.

One might grow flowers for a long while under the auspices of tyranny but freedom is had by burning the whole field of flowers to ashes so that one might fertilize that field with the seeds of freedom and know that their children and their children's children will live free. That to be free, to live free, is a prison unto itself, where the challenge has only just begun. A prison that none can see except those living under its yoke that everyday, freedom is the goal. The illusion is that freedom is free. It is not, and so long as those who desire power over others exist, that struggle never ends. We must fight everyday to be free. It is never handed to those on the outside, and despite loud voices to the contrary, nor those on the inside either. You might have seen a few news reports about that recently.

We struggled as you are now struggling, with help from friends, too. And it should not have been successful. But it was. Somehow. For once you arrive on the fair shores of freedom, you learn that the fight has only begun and why we could not rescue you from toil no more than we can swing the bat at the ball for our children. They must learn what is required by experiencing the requirements before they can be a part of what is required. And none of it can be explained via common language to the oppressed.

Your problems will not be solved on the other side of this conflict. The problems that existed before will still exist then. But they will be your problems, the Ukrainian people’s problems, the shared struggle of one People to live in a free and just world. They will be the stuff freedom is made of. But the alternative is far worse, is it not?

And this is the rub of our breathless agitation and pounding hearts for our friends in Ukraine. We yearn for your freedom as we yearn for our own. We cannot help those yearning to be free, merely show them the way and welcome the fellow free with open arms. You must cast off the shackles of tyranny and wash your hands in the blood of your oppressor so as never to forget how much destruction is required for construction.

You can only see what freedom means once you have sacrificed everything there is to possess it. It remains invisible to those not living under it and elusive for those who do. We were never able to give your freedom to you. You must want that enough for yourselves. You must want to be free more than you want to be alive for, you are only alive once you are free. But only then, does the true fight begin.

Know that every American, every European, every free human on this planet is rooting for you until our voices are hoarse from cheering you on, then we shall cheer more, hands extended out to you. Reach for freedom, Ukraine! Reach for that which you know is right and just! You are already the stuff of global legend.

You continue to amaze the entire world with your grit, your determination, and persistence against the worst of the worst. Though your sacrifices may be many and great, know that the entire world is waiting as close to the river’s edge as we might get without falling into the rushing current of regret. What we do and do not, affects all.

You must sweep the detritus from your midst and only then, while admiring the sunflowers of sacrifice, will you know what it is to be free. You will feel the warm embrace of freedom upon your back and then understand, it was never ours to hand to you. You must want to be free more than you want to be alive.

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