Kolun Hryhorii, 16 years old

Winner of the 2024 essay contest, 2st place

Focal institution «Brytiv Lyceum» of the Shabiv village council, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district, Odessa region

Teacher who inspired to write an assay - Zubchevska Nataliia Oleksiivna

 

«1000 days of war. My way»

Do you see dreams?

Today I want to tell you about mine. Dreams that can be our desires, fears or reflections of everyday life. Let's try to figure out where the line between sleep and reality is.

Dreams can be conditionally divided into several types: bright (colourful), black and white, prophetic and night terrors.

I close my eyes and see a beautiful dream, a country of unique beauty. Steppes, green meadows, picturesque mountain ranges, endless forests, full of birdsong and boundless reservoirs… Like a bird, I fly over the mosaic of Ukrainian landscapes and rejoice, because this is my land! I soar over the Black and Azov seas with their warm and gentle waves and golden beaches.

And then our Ukrainian Crimea with unsurpassed landscapes that enchant and amaze with their beauty. A beautiful dream, I am happy in.

What does a person need for happiness? Happiness is a complex concept, each person has their own. In my opinion, being happy is living and loving your Motherland, feeling the beauty of your native land, when your family, friends and loved ones are near.

Happiness is making plans for the future, a chance to make your dreams and goals reality. A wonderful dream!

And then comes February 24th.

I close my eyes and see darkness. My black and white bad dream. My mother's screams: " Hryhorii, Dariia, wake up! Pack your things, the war has started!" I have never packed so quickly. I simultaneously read the news, trying to understand what is happening and whether this is even possible. A happy country in an instant turns into darkness, through which you can hear terrible sounds of sirens, the crying of children and women, explosions.

Having gathered everything necessary, we jump into the car and rush. Rushing into the unknown. A long path lies ahead. But was this the path I dreamed of? They are destroying it. My shattered dreams, studies, the peace of my family, friends who have scattered all over the world.

Unfortunately, night terrors are becoming more frequent, the next dream is exactly like that, although the beginning of it is painted in yellow and blue, because it is about my brother Sasha, about a strong and brave warrior who is currently defending our native Ukraine. About a young guy who was supposed to live the best years of his life, get married, raise children, which he really dreams of, by the way, to build his happy path.

However, this is when the colours changed drastically.

His position [on the front] and the neighbouring ones are being continuously shelled for over an hour. They held out. I will not describe all the details of that terrible day. Sasha's friend died. Sasha survived, receiving minor injuries.

Dear brother, I close my eyes and pray for you to be well.

Every day, dreams changed their colours from black and white with the horrors of war, grief, pain, loss to colourful ones, when dad’s voice is on the phone: “I’m fine. And how are mom and sister?

Do you remember that now the male responsibility for our beloved women is placed on your shoulders?”

My story is a difficult path of a teenager who had to grow up very quickly, learn to make important decisions, become a strong shoulder of support for his family.

I learned to fight the feeling of fear and anxiety, overcame despair and distrust of others.

My generation was destined to experience the terrible realities of war, like a nightmare about a terrible disaster, about mutilated fates, about destroyed dreams and hopes. However, in this darkness there is also a place for the strength, courage, and endurance of people who continue to fight for the future of their country.

The war forced us to wake up, rethink the meaning of life, begin to see and appreciate the things that are still familiar to us, to realize the value of every moment.

These 1000 days of trials became a time for a reboot. Despite the pain and fatigue, people found the strength to support each other, to help those who were in trouble. People united in the fight for a better future.

We are a generation united by difficult times, that is overcoming losses, pain and suffering. We are walking our own path to peace and victory.

“We are the generation of those who are in pain, those who are not silent”