Ukraine – a Modern Day Parable?

        By Susan Cambigue Tracey

David, a young Israelite, and
a Philistine giant named Goliath –
are reincarnated as
Zelenskyy and Putin.
Together they are reenacting the
Biblical story of hubris, greed,
courage, faith and unfairness.

Dictators imagine themselves
as indestructable.
However, over time
they become caricatures of power.
Add one, or more superheros
to the mix – and,
under the right circumstances,
ordinary people can confront mega villains –
and overcome something impossible.

Just like David,
ordinary Ukranian people –
young and old,
women and men –
found something within themselves
that is greater than the value
of their own lives.
Putting themsselves on
the defensive front lines
they are overriding their fear
to defend Democracy.
When faced with a force
much greater than their own –
just like the young David,
they found the unselfish desire
to fight for their collective freedom.

Goliath, AKA Putin, sent
Russian soldiers
in tanks, planes and ships
to block the freedom of their neighbors.
Without the power to choose,
his soldiers followed orders from
a leader removed from sanity.

Directed by his Philistine leader,
Goliath, with his sword and spear,
set out to slay David in short order.
He sought to intimidate him by laughing –
David stood so small and still,
holding his slingshot and
five smooth stones.
Can grit and cleverness outwit
brute force and ignorance?
In David’s case, it did!
Why not in this one too?

Maybe the people of Ukraine,
with their hand-held weapons,
can take out the eyes of Putin.
Putin sees free people as pawns,
the least important in a power game.
His soldiers knock them down,
discarding them along the road.
Squashing them with iron tanks,
they bomb their homes and cities –
fires burning through the night.

But the giant is drunk on power.
He forgets – if he ever knew –
about the courage that rises
in people’s hearts
when they see injustice.
He is disconnected from people
in his own country,
let alone Ukraine.
He doesn’t feel their pain,
nor see their needs.
Putin is blinded by power,
money and control.
He seeks praise, admiration
and glory.
Truth, honor and compasion are sent
to the gallows.

It is wrong to steal another country.
It is wrong to lie and justify greed.
It is wrong to crush the lives of people
because you have the power.

The rest of us watch this drama,
as if it were a play.
We feel the emotions of
shock, anger, saddess and fear.
We root for the courageous Ukrainians.
But, we are the audience –
leaving our living rooms when we are
uncomfortable, hungry or bored.

Those of us not in the actual play,
watch for awhile,
cheering, cursing and crying.
Then, we resume our lives –
perhaps checking in briefly
the next day.
The Ukrainians cannot detach!
This is their real life – Now!

Putin and his armies have broken
all the treaties and rules.
The rest of us are forbidden
by treaties and nuclear threats
to collectively join them
in fighting for what is just.

The Ukrainians have courage and commitment
to remain a Democracy.
Is this enough to slay the deranged giant
in this modern day parable?