She Keeps Choosing Words
8/13/2026
United States
Ukraine
“In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” — Anne Frank
A couple of days ago, I was invited to write my own personal story of resilience and overcoming extreme hardship as part of a book featuring other wonderful women authors sharing their own journeys. This incredible opportunity also included a chance to have my story highlighted on a large, bright billboard in New York City at Times Square.
I wanted to “chew on it” and give it the thought it deserved. So, there I sat at my writing desk at 2:00 a.m., wearing my favorite nerdy glasses and my favorite “Bear, be not afraid” pajamas, my hair pulled up into a messy bun. Motown songs played quietly in the background as I mindlessly ate watermelon, seeds and all, still pondering the idea.
I decided to decline it.
That may sound surprising, and believe me, I was humbled by the invitation. However, it is not my calling to tell my own life story. I do share pieces of my life experiences when they serve a purpose, but I do not feel the need to elaborate beyond what is necessary. To those special readers who may be disappointed by my decision, please accept my sincere and humble apologies.
I feel it is my calling as a writer to shine a light on incredible individuals who need and deserve to be seen, especially the mighty heroes fighting for kindness and those living in dire, war-torn circumstances. Thank you, Ashley, for reminding me of my gift. With that in mind, I would like to shine some light on Alina, a Ukrainian woman with a wicked sense of humor and an incredible gift for writing.
She first served as a combat medic on the front lines and now writes to give voice to the pain, strength, and humanity of everyday Ukrainians still living through the war. She is also working on her doctoral dissertation, trying to write her dissertation from a basement while bombs echo loudly above. I am in awe of her. Her resilience and hope for the future are deeply inspiring. I hope you will take a moment to visit her website and read her words.
So, as I sat safely worlds away at my writing desk, pondering whether to place my own story in the spotlight, Alina’s reality put mine into perspective. She is a fellow writer living through war, yet still choosing words, purpose, and hope. She writes from a basement floor, surrounded by neighbors and strangers worn down by fear, stale air, exhaustion, and long days and nights underground. Sleep comes in short, disorienting fragments. Updates arrive in hushed, urgent whispers. Every distant sound above them carries the terrifying, unspoken question of what might happen next. Alina worries about her laptop being stolen or destroyed, but she also knows that none of it would matter if she were gone too. Still, she keeps reaching for her future. Somewhere beneath the noise, fear, and uncertainty of war, she continues to write and pursue her education.
That is humbling.
We are both women who write, and both women who understand hardship in our own ways. But her courage is unfolding in real time beneath a bomb- and drone-filled sky. I could not ignore her story. She reminded me that some stories deserve to be brought to light simply because they need to be told. So I ask you, my readers: please hold Alina and her neighbors in your thoughts.