It’s a sobering Tuesday indeed.
I have been following Dancing with the Stars for years and recently learned that one of the dancers, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, was in Ukraine when the fighting broke out. He’s been there working on a TV dance show competition.
Maks has a huge ego and I’m sure he would agree if I had the chance to speak with him directly. But since marrying one of the other dancers on DWTS and having a child of his own, there have been moments where his heart breaks open with love and gratitude the life he has created.
Such has been the case as I watched his Instagram videos – his heart wrenching emotion as his country of origin is being attacked. Maks and his family moved to the United States when he was just 14. He’s grown to be a super star in the dance world. His videos from Ukraine show men in a large groups, walking down the street in front of a Russian tank to stop it from entering their town, their bodies not flinching. And the huge group of people filling sandbags chanting Glory to Ukraine from deep within their hearts.
And President Zolenskyy – the leadership, the emotion, the commitment, the resolve, the strength – how his body stands strong as he addresses his people and the world.
Every cell in their bodies are committed to Ukraine, to democracy, to their beloved country. They are a beacon of hope, inspiration, and faith for the rest of the world.
May you stand tall in your spine no matter what comes your way. May you commit to your health and well-being. May you be grateful for the roof over your head, the food in your home and the people around you who love you deeply. May you love like there is no tomorrow.
And may you know, in every cell of your being, that we are all one.
We are all Ukraine.
