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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

Every once in a while I have an interview that strikes a chord with my heart. 

Such was the case in my interview with Leonid and Kathy Skorin last Friday. 

The Skorins were kind enough to invite me into their home as we talked about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, their Ukrainian heritage and their worries for their friends and loved ones who remain. 

The Skorins did not grow up in Ukraine, but are the first generations to be born in the United States after their families emigrated from the country. It’s clear the pride they have in their heritage and how important it is to them. 

Knowing the history of what has happened to their country, it must be especially devastating to be watching the current events unfold there. 

As the Skorins talked about the destruction taking place in Ukraine, I was reminded again how lucky I am to live in a country that enjoys the freedoms we do and that has not experienced the oppression that has taken place in Ukraine. 

 Unlike most of the generations before us, many in my generation and in the younger generation in this country have been lucky to have never experienced war firsthand.

We’ve never experienced another country invading our home, have never had to seek shelter in subway tunnels for protection from bombs, have never had to flee our homes to a nearby country or any of the other atrocities that have been seen in this war. 

Then I think of those from our country and others who stand up to protect their people and those who would stand up to protect us in the event something ever were to happen at home or abroad. We often take our soldiers for granted, but we owe them so much.

Oh, how much we have to be grateful for. 

As we continue to watch this attack take place, I hope I can remember that even though our own country may feel the trickle-down effects from this conflict, it is nothing compared to what the Ukrainians are experiencing at this time. 

May God be with those people as they navigate these troubling times. 

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.