When War, Hate and Indifference Board the Train With Us
She fled war only to be killed on a train. That makes me wonder what kind of safety is this, when difference makes us targets and indifference leaves us all vulnerable and exposed…
We are all aware that war is insane and it is a plague for humanity. The problem with that plague is that it’s a hidden pandemic because war doesn’t end at borders. It creates deep wounds which are not only physical; they are also mental and emotional. This trauma of war is imprinted into the collective consciousness and therefore every behavior, fear and vulnerability that comes along with it, travel with people. When we have to face war things are clear… We are threatened on some levels, but when we are living in a country considered safe, we are threatened again because violence and alienation are always lurking and thriving in the shadows of its culture.
For people who woke up one morning with the bombs flying over their heads, the goal was clear. They wanted to flee their country, not because of their own choice but because they had to survive. But in some cases, escaping bombs does not mean that you’re escaping violence. Some of those people made it out of their countries and tried to build a new home, a safe one preferably, for themselves and their families. But in this other country, they were foreign, they were refugees, they were women or simply “other” and this has proven to be very dangerous. In our safe countries, communities and systems are looking away consistently and by looking away they leave broken people to break others. We give full permission to those people to kill everything inside and around us because in our public spaces help doesn’t come and therefore violence in those public spaces is almost expected.
We are so consumed by trying to invent new labels and names for criminal behaviors instead of preventing them and uproot their core. Difference is not the problem, but disconnection is. When difference isn’t supported, when we don’t help each other, it becomes destructive. Each person is alone, unprotected, vulnerable, constantly threatened by so many unnamed but highly felt threats in their everyday life. Without solidarity we don’t just fail each other. We rot inside becoming numb and dead to our shared humanity. Everyone who suffers around us could be our mother, our father, our child and of course we could very easily be in that position too, especially if we don’t do anything to change that. People who do not help it’s because they feel helpless themselves, they feel powerless to change things they believe that their decisions and their actions will not have any impact. So we have a lethal combination of frustration and fear.
Every act of outward violence mirrors inner violence. It is pointing to uhealed trauma, loneliness and rage. Healing means reclaiming our capacity to connect across differences instead of fearing them. Difference is normal… why do we make so much fuss about it? We are all different in so many ways and that’s a miracle. If we were all the same our life and this world would be super boring. Who thinks exactly like me? Who walks and talks and lives and feels exactly like me? No one. And that’s normal. So why don’t we finally normalize external differences too? Why your sex or gender should mean that you deserve to be a victim? Why the color of your skin should mean that you deserve to be a victim? We are all human beings and this is our common ground… We all deserve love support and help.
So if we want to end war, hate and crime out there we must first stop waging war inside ourselves and against each other. You see nowadays supporting difference, choosing compassion and connection is survival… Not a luxury.
Her name was Irina. When I learned what happened to her (I didn’t watch the video… I just couldn’t handle it), I lost my sleep for days. Her death isn’t only a tragedy; it’s a compass. It asks us: Will we keep normalizing indifference until it kills us inside or will we finally learn to hold each other’s difference as the bridge that keeps us all alive?
*This reflection was written after reading the People.com article “‘Heartbroken’ Family of Ukrainian Refugee Stabbed on N.C. Train Speaks Out on ‘Horrific’ Crime,” about the death of Irina Zaruzka.
Anni is a healer, meditation teacher, and educator with over 8,000 hands-on sessions and 17 years of experience guiding people toward self-awareness, inner peace, and fulfillment. As the creator of “Awakening the Seeds®,” she helps individuals heal from complex trauma, reconnect with their true selves, and embrace joy and purpose. Combining deep insight, empathy, and a profound understanding of human behavior, Anni co-founded Seeds of Bliss™ to spread healing, enlightenment, and inner bliss, empowering others to transform their lives and step fully into their authentic selves.
We aim to create a global network of Seeds of Bliss, fostering happiness and health in every aspect of life. Our mission is to make a lasting positive impact on the world and leave a legacy of love, enlightenment, and harmony for future generations.
