‘We are defending the right to live,’ he said. ‘I never thought this right was so costly. These are human values. So that Russia doesn't choose what we should do and how I'm using my rights. That right was given to me by God and my parents.’

~Volodymyr Zelensky on 60 Minutes, 4-10-22

First thing, I remember it’s her birthday. She was born in the early evening, around 7 p.m. after a lovely day of labor with my husband and son. Yeah, it really was a lovely day of labor, strange as that sounds. It was cool, early springish, as it was today. I went with the Special One on the pack on my back out for a walk after my early swim. A male mallard sat in the tufts of grass in the marsh overflow from the river. Charlie usually runs in barking after the wild ducks. But this one didn’t scare off. So we watched him for a while. Then suddenly, he lifted off with a loud quack. The Special One wondered where the duck went, just like that. So, we kept walking and passed the brook. Nope, not there. We kept walking and walked past the other side of the brook and wetlands. Nope, not there. But wait! I spied him on a log in the wetlands this time. His shining green head, plus his bright orange feet. He let us watch him for quite awhile. The rest of the day there were many many quacks in my ears from the little one, and also the question, repeated again and again. Where did he go? In the afternoon, I got a chance to send out my Aim For Astonishing prompt, and was glad for that. It was a busy birthday to celebrate. The birthday girl came over and we went for pedicures, and then to the mall to get shoes for her graduation. Perfect shoes. And she found them and they fit. Home for family dinner in the room we are jokingly calling “The burnt room.” Meaning the dining room where we have no electricity and have set up folding tables to have our sit down family dinners. It was warm and lovely to celebrate her special day. Then, I gave her a shoulder rub while we all sat and watched 60 Minutes. And grew silent, listening to Zelensky being interviewed about the devastation and horror his country is experiencing. Not closing our ears. Listening to the hard truths.