Sometimes life is so unfair. So unfair. And what are you going to do about it?
There are really only two choices—give up or go on.
Just a month ago, the people of Ukraine were busy building a government of the people. Democratic processes are messy, but the vision of a better life for the next generation was compelling the nation forward in a peaceful manner.
Then Russia invaded, for no greater reason than that it wanted to and it could. The assumption by many was that Ukraine would quickly give up. But they didn’t.
In Jack London’s, “The Call of the Wild,” Buck—a St. Bernard/Scotch Shepherd mix—was enjoying the good life in California with a wealthy landowner. He had the run of the estate and a cozy spot by the fireplace when he wanted it. The book is fictional, but it narrates through the very real time period of the 1890s Gold Rush in Canada and Alaska. Big dogs were needed to pull sleds over an unforgiving and frozen landscape. Demand was high, and supply was scarce.
Buck was stolen and then sold.
Unexpected cruelty is disorienting. Chained and captive, Buck was introduced to his new life by a dog-breaker and a club. “A dozen times he charged, and as often the club broke the charge and smashed him down.”
Some dogs never got back up. They weren’t able to transition into a life of violence and hardship, but Buck learned how to first survive.
Russia is carrying a big stick and bringing death and destruction to Ukraine. But the Ukrainians keep getting back up. They didn’t start a war with a super power, but they’re learning how to survive one.
Buck adapted to the life of pulling a sled over a frozen tundra and the kill-or-be-killed challenges from the other dogs. He adapted, and then he thrived. He became the lead dog and was able to trust the kindness of a human again and feel loyalty toward him.
After being stunned into survival mode, the Ukrainians are adapting to their new reality. They, too, face kill-or-be-killed situations. And every day, their fighting spirit grows stronger despite the formidable opponent before them. They’re showing what courage and leadership look like when faced with such an unfair attack.
Eventually, Buck finds freedom. He answers the call of the wild—the call of a wolf pack—and fights for and takes his rightful place with them. He’s free and finally, fully alive.
Hardship produces resiliency, but does resiliency require hardship?
A Quinnipiac University poll asked American adults what they would do if they were in the same position as the Ukrainians. Would they stay and fight or leave the country? Almost four in ten said they would leave the country.
There are 250 million adults living in the United States. Imagine 100 million fleeing if our nation was attacked.
This doesn’t square with the history of our people. We declared independence from a powerful monarchy and went on to finish two world wars that we did not start.
It’s just one poll, and polls can be wrong. But many of us do see a shift in our country. In the past, forced self-reliance produced an independent and fighting spirit. Now, big government breeds dependency and helplessness.
Over the years, our country has had a bit of a Wild West image. And it’s served us well. But now instead of willingly riding shotgun, too many have fallen asleep in the stagecoach and would not know how to survive, adapt and thrive from the surge that comes when meeting a threat.
The last chapter hasn’t been written on the Ukraine – Russia war. But no matter how it ends, the people of Ukraine have answered the call of the wild. They’ve become fully alive and know—will always know—what they’re meant to be.
Free.
Moving the Conversation Along 