Shards of this night—or is there anyone here who isn't afraid to look fear in the eye?

Stop hiding behind masks: why do we choose safety over life?

Hi everyone! It’s me again, Tamara. After the hellish night I just spent in Kyiv, I can’t stay silent. I have so many pent-up emotions—they’re just bursting to get out—so I decided to bring this topic up on our women’s forum.

Tell me honestly: how long can we keep putting our lives on hold? We are all masters of disguise. We’ve learned to elegantly mask our fear with beautiful makeup, pretend we’re taking it all in stride, and convince ourselves that "now isn't the time" for love, passion, and dating. We wait for things to quiet down, for the alarms to stop, and for the world to return to normal. But the truth is, "normal" doesn't exist anymore. There is only the here and now.

Last night, staring into the darkness of the hallway, I found myself wondering: if it all came to an end, what would I regret the most? Certainly not unwashed dishes or unfinished reports. I would regret being afraid to open up to people, afraid to show vulnerability, and waiting too long for the "right moment"—a moment that might simply never come.

So, I have a provocative question for the women in our community: Girls, let’s be honest with ourselves—aren't we using constant stress and the war as a convenient excuse to keep men out of our lives, to avoid risking our hearts, and to stop ourselves from truly loving, simply because we’re afraid to be happy again?

Let’s talk about this. It’s time to stop being afraid to live.

Warm regards from unyielding Kyiv,

Tamara