Eat. Pray. Survive.

War makes you easily understand who loves you for real and who not. I have collected several stories of different couples, who experienced the start of the war in Ukraine together and here is what they told me. I won’t be revealing their full names not to put them in any type of danger since military actions are still going on in Ukraine.

Couple #1: M&S

She was in Kharkiv when the war broke up. He lived in Kiyv — capital of Ukraine, that experienced war in the second turn, after the Russian troops crossed the border on the side of Belgorod, which is 40km away from Kharkiv.

The war broke up accidentally and no one could believe it is happening for real, since Russia always seemed a bit crazy, but never seemed that insane. When first bombs fell on the city at 5am on 24th of February she woke up in shock. Of course it was too late to run and she had neither tickets nor car, that could help her escape.

They have met each other few months ago and were having relations on the distance, when he accidentally called her and said he will come to Kharkiv in 2 hours to pick her up and get to the safe place. For real, this man sat into the car and started driving from Kiyv to Kharkiv to take her with him somewhere they can be safe together. This must be the most romantic act I’ve witnessed in 2022 year.

Despite the fact bombs were all around Kharkiv, he managed to get to the city, pick her up and get her to Poltava, where they stayed for a while. Now they are traveling together around Ukraine, feeling like happy nomads. And this is an amazing example of the couple, that was together for not a long time, that knew each other only for a while, but still decided to stand by each other. And I really believe that now nothing can break them apart.

Couple #2: A&I

They woke up because of bombs in Kharkiv. Like many other couples they realized they got trapped and can not escape now. Moreover, after talking for a while they have decided to stay in the city, since running away in panic considering all the bombs falling around could be more dangerous than staying in the city.

Their couple was a perfect example of how harmoniously can people share roles during the critical events: he took all the planning and strategic part on himself, while he also was doing everything possible to calm her down and make her feel his love. She was supporting him, cooking and bringing all possible humanitarian help home so he would see his favorite drinks and snacks once he is back after protecting the house from thieves. This may sound old-fashioned, but this war romantic is exactly what these two faced and how happy they look together even despite the bombs and explosions surround them.

Couple #3: O&R

Just like everybody else they could never day that day will become the last day they spent together. When the war broke up, they decided to evacuate to the Western Ukraine together, like many people do. However, Western Ukraine also was not a place of the complete safety, since from time to time Russian bombs were landing even there. Moreover, people from all over Ukraine were running to the West trying to get a safe and cozy shelter, so West started experiencing humanitarian catastrophe because of the amount of people.

That’s why she had to escape to Poland to be able to. continue living normally, but he, since man from 18 to 60 years old can not escape the country at the war time, had to stay in Ukraine. The last day she was crying all the time, looking at him with a hope to re-unite soon. Her hands were trembling and he was smiling peacefully trying to calm her down with his last warm smile for now. They kissed each other at the border and she left. Now they don’t know how soon they meet again. But they promised each other to keep on waiting and loving each other.

Couple #4: K&M

They had all chances to escape but decided to stand together in their native city and country. Living in the center of the town, they didn’t panic and cry, understanding perfectly that such things will only make the situation worse. They hugged each other and decided to turn their house into the safe and calm place, where they can try to ignore war happening outside.

Being both strong and socially active people, they started participating in the informational war, but still, they managed to close the curtains to the bombs and remain happy together despite the building were falling around. At times like this you never know which moment would be the last one for you, so you do your best to give as much love to those who are around you as possible. And what is more important, while being in love at times like this you can really not focus on bombs falling around and forget about the apocalypse next door, you can smile because he smiles back to you and sleep calmly in his arms. That’s what they meant saying “once there was a couple that didn’t even notice a war”.

Couple #5: Y&D

They woke up accidentally and called families at first. Next 5 days they were living in the shelter with lots of people. Together, they decided to help people around them as much as they could, so he was offering physical help and donating blood to those who needed it while she was getting humanitarian help and trying to turn that shelter in some cozy place for both of them.

Together they worked a lot to be useful and discovered new sides of each other during this war. Heading to Dnipro to unite their parents, they decided to stand together till the end. Now they are running to the Poland border with a hope that he will be able to leave a country with her. But she already decided that she will just turn and get back, if he will have to stay. Because sometimes life worth nothing without those you love next to you.

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War is awful. It brings deaths, disappointments and pain. But at the same time it makes you tell people you love what you feel more often. It makes you forget everything and just confess your feelings as much as you can to support and to let your beloved one feel that s/he is not alone here. War is a time for love. Because only love can stop this.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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