In this war-torn world, so many people have lost homes, dignity, and yes, even lives. Many might feel starting at the very beginning may be too difficult to do. Then, there are those who have never lost hope. Peace can still be achieved.
For the citizens of Ukraine, the past few months have been ridden with pain and fear. As the continue to fight for their freedom. They have searched for signs of change, and they may have found one, giving them hope for what tomorrow may bring.
Above is a photo from Ukraine of a devoted mother stork who are with her two chicks, nesting. This simple sight has become a ‘symbol of hope’ for them.
This fresh, new sight was photographed as some found the mother stork in the outskirts of Kyiv after months of violent and rigorous fighting. The arrival of these majestic species for annual mating has given them something to look forward to, and that’s because storks are considered a ‘sacred’ bird in Ukraine. This is a normal nesting spot for them during spring, after traveling for Africa during Ukraine’s winter season.
A rough total of around 224,000 storks that visit Europe every single year. Of that, around 16 percent of them build new nests. Many of them also return to the ones they already have in Ukraine in order to raise their babies until they’re big enough by summer’s end.
Some of these storks have started to come back to their familiar areas, and people have seen them. This has given Ukrainians hope as they go through the difficult aftermath of the Russian invasion that begun earlier this year.
Pictures of the stork nest were captured by the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds when they came upon the sight. The group’s director, Oleg Dudkin, said that the surrounding explosions, shelling, and roar of tanks scared these birds away. They actually didn’t think that these storks would come back to their familiar home.
They definitely were mistaken because the brave storks returned and the new images that they captured in the town of Moshchun, 10 miles from Kyiv, was proof that the storks have come back to nest. For this couple with their new babies, they have come back to make a home for the young ones amidst the devastation.
This may seem like a normal sight, but based on the local tradition, storks are actually a symbol for the arrival of spring, which is also symbol of fertility since days back. These storks are also a representation of “a big harvest, as well as family happiness, procreation, cessation of conflicts and love for the homeland.”
“She has come to symbolize not merely a mother’s devotion to her young but also the great love and devotion of Ukrainians to their motherland and a readiness not to leave,” explained Dudkin. “The storks returned a few days after the Russian troops left the village and immediately began to rearrange their usual nesting place,” he added.
“Storks will always be amulet birds for Ukrainians, strengthening the hope for peace and the inevitable victory of spring over winter and good over evil.”
And with this, Ukrainians have hoped for something better as the storks have returned. It may take time before Ukraine gets its former glory back and it may also take longer for other storks to come back as they have witnessed the trauma the country experienced. Whatever it is, there is always hope for a better future as the world gets behind Ukraine. We can only hope that war will forever end and that peace will reign all throughout.
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