Distance does not soften the terror. It only deepens my helplessness. In moments like this, I realize that geography is not measured in miles, but in attachment. War rearranges distance. These days I find myself returning to "The Conference of the Birds," the 12th-century poem by Attar of Nishapur, seeking meaning through ancient wisdom about spiritual journeys and transformation.
Since February 2022, however, her feed has been loaded with heart-wrenching posts about her family in Ukraine and the deep fear she feels for her homeland since the invasion by Russian troops. While she continues to cook her way through the fear and grief for a homeland now altered in many ways beyond recognition, Olia remains a voice for the Ukrainian people, its past and its heritage.