My name is Alina, I'm from Luhansk. Fortunately, I did not see the shelling, but the siren for five minutes under rge rain and a bullet-hit apartment impressed me. Maybe it doesn't sound so bad in words, but in real life it's weird.

I left Luhansk in 2014. My mother and I went to Kyiv for two weeks to visit my brother, and we stayed for five years.

In the winter of 2016, a neighbor called us and said that a shell hit our apartment. I will never forget my mother's face at that moment. Sad eyes, a tear on her cheek, and a phone near her ear.

In 2016, we returned and saw holes in the ceiling, broken glass, and a broken wardrobe. We packed up all the things, emptied the apartment, and left for good. Other people live there now.

The subject of the essay is "Peace". The word PEACE sounds great, and how much can I write about it... I will write in paragraphs, so it will be clearer what I am leading to.

1. Family.

When you have a loving family, you are already happy. You return from work, from school and understand that at home you are being expected with impatience, unforgettable feelings. It is a balm for the soul.

2. Friends.

I always thought I had a lot of friends. In kindergarten I talked to everyone, in school I talked to everyone, but I began to notice that at the right moments they disappeared somewhere, and then reappeared. Are they friends?

I had a best friend. She was born a day later than me, and we were very close friends since childhood. When the war started and we went to different cities, we didn't talk much.

In 2017, I decided to ask if she was ok, but I got a response: "I'm busy. I don't have time." I was shocked. I didn't immediately understand what had happened. And since then, we only wish each other a happy birthday.

What I'm getting at. You don't need to have many friends. You can have a lot of friends, but over time they disappear somewhere. Of course, I'm not saying it's always like this. But this also happens. It is better to have a couple of friends, but you will be sure that they are with you forever.

3. Work of love.

It is very important to have a work of love. I don't think people who work in a job they don't like will be happy. I can say for sure  that these people are not happy. Your beloved work  motivates you, gives you energy to live and be happy.

Living in peace is very important. But if it wasn't for all this (the war), I wouldn't be so strong. You can write a lot about the peace, but the most important thing is family, friends, and your work of love.