Grandpa Timothy

My maternal grandfather Timothy died 32 years ago today. He was a veteran of World War II and he died quite young because his health had been ruined during the war.

And on this very day when my mother is remembering her father, she had to discover that in the Ukrainian village where she grew up and where her parents lie buried, there has been a Russian flag placed on the municipal building.

My mother is crying on the phone, telling me that she can’t accept that her parents will now lie in the ground held by the occupational forces. And I don’t know what to tell her other than this is horrible and I feel her pain.

And yesterday my parents went to a birthday party where they had to listen to endless anti-Ukrainian, anti-Canadian and pro-Putin excretions by people formerly considered friends.

This is all very bad and getting worse.