913 day of war

Hi, friends!

Today, our country celebrates Independence Day. In the past, this holiday didn't make much sense to me - I was born after the Soviet Union had already collapsed, so I didn't fully understand what we were dependent on or the significance of the holiday. But in recent years, this day has become our main national holiday because everyone has seen with their own eyes the true cost of freedom and independence.

Throughout the city, there are many flags and national symbols displayed, and many people are wearing traditional embroidered shirts. Local symphony orchestras are performing in the squares, creating a festive atmosphere and a sense of unity among people. This is one of the positive changes that the war has brought—we've come to understand more clearly that we are a distinct nation with our own traditions and values, and people have come to appreciate this more. If in the past, such holidays felt like mere formalities, now it feels like everything has changed. The day was especially joyful due to a prisoner exchange, where 82 of those released were defenders of Mariupol.

Recently, the city we live in was hit by a drone strike, with one drone crashing just a few kilometers from us. Things had been relatively calm in the city lately, so we had gotten used to sleeping through the night without being awakened by air raid sirens. But this time, the strike was very close and very strong, waking us up at 2 a.m. with the walls shaking. The drone hit some fuel tanks, and it took the whole next day to put out the fire. The city was covered in thick black smoke, and we were advised not to go outside or open windows for two days.

Despite many warnings that we should expect a massive attack on the holiday, everything is calm and peaceful.

I’m trying to work more, create content for social media, and dye more socks. Nastya's birthday is coming up this week, and I want to make something for her as a gift, so I’m working a lot on that. I’m already looking forward to the end of summer when people return from their vacations, and there will be more orders, because right now, work is almost non-existent, which is a bit sad. But I still try not to lose optimism and keep working. I believe that over time, I will be able to grow a larger audience and have a full-time job with dyeing, and we’ll be able to live a bit better. It’s a big goal, and I think moments like these are like a test—it helps me keep moving forward despite the challenges.

Thank you for your support, and happy holidays to everyone! Although this is our national holiday, I believe that the entire civilized world is making great efforts to preserve our independence, and on our own, in such a big war, we wouldn’t have a chance. What we have now—the ability to keep living in our country, dyeing, living, and doing something—is the result of these efforts, so thank you very much to everyone. Also, thank you for your help on Buy Me a Coffee, it really helps during this time.