I took a visit to the Scottish City of Perth today. The sun was shining and it was a whopping 14 degrees Celsius! A rare commodity for Scotland in mid March. The roads were still closed from a procession that was held earlier in the day that I had sadly missed. While I walked to my lunch destination I smiled as I saw the Scottish saltire proudly flying next to the Ukrainian national flag. To be honest, I had actually come to the city as a break from the constant updates coming from my television, email, and radio of the current European war happening in Ukraine. I have found myself relentlessly checking my phone for updates and feedback for events and aid being held for refugee's. Just what everyone needed, another war; as if Yemen, Iraq, Iran, and the many other countries being inundated with fighting weren't enough?
It was clear that the fighting is on everyone's minds here in Scotland, wherever you go, from young to older adult, all of us are carrying the heartache close to our chests.
As much as I was hoping for a break, the lunch just reminded me how precious my time is with loved ones. How quickly the normal hub-bub of life outside my choice of restaurant can quickly change. How easy it is for life to be taken away from me, from anyone.
After my lunch I decided to wander further, partly to work off my meal but mostly to walk among the others denoting #StandWithUkraine paraphernalia. As I looked up at various windows sitting above the city high street I felt a warmth come over me as I saw the many Ukrainian flags hanging from windowsills; one flag floating underneath a painted rainbow in the central window overlooking the main street.
Wherever I look I see Blue and Yellow now, even when it's not a Ukrainian flag dancing in the wind. Normal advertisements branded in the same colours. Clothes hanging side by side in a clothing store, one wrack blue, another yellow. Two cars stopped at a light, one blue, the other yellow, is that just a coincidence or did the two drivers plan it? If not, do they notice the connection too? It seems like even subconsciously the Ukrainian colours are on our mind, in everything we see, do, think. Which hopefully soon, will be a symbol of peace.
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