Everyone has a place where he or she was born, saw the light of the sun for the first time, tasted mother’s milk. This is his or her motherland. Everyone loves his country, but each one in his own way. Some cry out about love at all intersections, others quietly, in the heart carry the spark of their love. And this love for the motherland is called patriotism. After all, the ancient Latin PATRIA – Motherland. Motherland is not loved for something, but for what it is. They love deserts with incredible heat, snow-covered tundra, dark mountain cliffs, the dark dense forests and impenetrable jungle and endless savannas – because they were born, grew up and live there.
We, Ukrainians, have something to love our land for. Our Ukraine is dear and priceless, so many people were killed for its independence and freedom, Ukraine brought sufferings to so many people. Many times our enemies were attracted by this magnificent region. Ukraine attracted invaders like honey bees. But the Ukrainian people, having gone through many difficult periods in their rich history, have not lost the main features – faith in their strength.
During hundreds of years the Ukrainian people were fighting for freedom, independence and their country. After all, only a free man has his Motherland:
“Only a free citizen has the Motherland; slave, serf, subjected to the despot has just a birthplace”
Anatole France.
Even during the time of Zaporizhzhya Sich Cossacks fought for their freedom and statehood. Ukrainian minstrels sang hymns to the beauty and grandeur of our country, exploits of Ukrainian patriots. Writers and poets taught us to love our motherland, sang of the beauty of our land. Taras Shevchenko, Lesia Ukrainka, Ivan Franko. In their works, they described the beauty of their native land, taught us to love the motherland, inspired faith in our future.
It is advisable to remember a generation of great men who fought for freedom and integrity of our state, such as: P. Orlik, Hrushevskyi, V.Vynychenko, Olzhych, O.Teliha, V. Stus, Mr.V.Symonenko, IA Svitlychny B.Antonenko-Davidovich, Chornovil, L. Lukyanenko, Ye.Svertyuk and many others. Thanks to their courage and loyalty to motherland we inherited free and independent nowadays country.
Over the past two years, the country has held turbulent events: ordinary people have changed the power in Ukraine, a former friend, breaking international agreements and rules, seized Ukrainian territory, the soldiers of another country invaded into our homeland with weapons in their hands. There has been changes in the minds of the people; interests of the nation have become the first thing, patriotism has flourished as it has never been before.
People have believed in the country, in themselves, the people are willing to sacrifice for their country with their personal interests and even their lives. Patriotism of Ukrainian people have always had great power, they used to be ardent patriots of their country from the ancient times. But as the world changed Ukrainians started to forget about their patriotism. However, as the country was on the verge of collapse, irreversible catastrophe patriotism recovered again reminded about itself and awakened in the hearts of everyone.
And today, we can see a lot of people who like one unit are ready to defend and protect the integrity and sovereignty of the country. Hundreds of people: young, middle aged and elderly voluntarily have taken up arms to defend their homeland. When numerically small and poorly armed Ukrainian army tried to stop the gang and forces of a foreign state, along with it Ukrainian volunteer battalions were formed by Ukrainian patriots. Many heroic pages voltsi The Volunteers wrote many heroic pages into the history of Ukraine. The defense of Donetsk airport and its defenders – “cyborgs” became a legend.
Everyone must love his homeland either it is in peace or in harmony, and love it with all your heart as it is nowadays. Our country is different, multinational: there are Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Jews, Belarusians and dozens of other nations and nationalities. Our country is different, it consists of different regions with their customs, rituals, religions. Therefore, representatives of different regions have different opinions and views on various issues concerning the life of the country. And the solving of these issues of life should be very careful. Indeed, in some cases distorted “psevdopatriotyzm” may destroy any country, especially such as Ukraine.
We have seen the example of Yugoslavia, when blooming, rich country under the influence of external factors and internal contradictions was torn into pieces and thrown in its development for decades ago. Some of our “friends” still plan such a scenario for Ukraine. So when one part of the population finds their patriotism, they must be convinced that it does not violate the interests and feelings of other people. In any case, under all circumstances, patriotism must be true and does not cross the limits turning into “psevdopatriotyzm.” True Patriots should think about the interests of all compatriots and should not offend anyone.
You can be a patriot of Ukraine without being a Ukrainian:
With Ukraine in the blood I live in Ukraine,
However I’m called Russian because of Russian writing,
There is a shelter for me on the meadows of kindness, kept by the poplars.
– Wrote the poet Boris Chichibabin (Polushin), who was born in Poltava region, most of his life living in Kharkov. He wrote poems in Russian. Volunteers from the Chechen Republic created the Battalion named by Dzhohar Dudayev and came to help Ukrainians to hit enemy aggression. And there have been a lot of examples demonstrated by the people of other countries to help defend our country, such as, Canada, Australia, Poland, the Baltic republics …
Love to the Fatherland, the Motherland – is the true patriotism. Love your homeland, as your native mother, protect it, keep it in joy and adversity – and it will bloom, will rise and prevail. And the lines of Ukrainian Soviet era poet Vladimir Syusyura come to the memory:
Love Ukraine, like the sun, love,
like the wind and grass and water …
In the hour of joy and happy moment,
Love even in bad weather.
