Recipe for Happiness: More Kindness, Less Aggressiveness

I Dream of Living in a Law-Governed State

We judge about events basing ourselves mostly on their newspaper or television versions, which are quite contradictory and not necessarily true. Obviously, Iraq and Afghanistan are on everybody’s mind. Thus we constantly worry about the fate of civilization, our country, and an individual in captivity of the global elements...

It seems that we are satisfied, playing the role of a crowd lacking memory. Otherwise we would decidedly call to answer the culprits of the Ukrainian journalist’s death in Iraq under the aimed tank fire. This would only add to our importance and respect, which we need so badly.

2. My attitude toward Russia, a country inhabited by friendly people, is absolutely positive. In general, I am not inclined to identify a country with its leadership.

3. The last year was rich in hopes that did not come true and in disappointments. Our fights were mostly over politics and the economy. We speak too rarely and little about people’s spiritual health. You try to make out some traces of the promised spiritual and renaissance, but instead you see healthy young guys occupying bus seats reserved for the disabled and war veterans and hear obscenities from young ladies’ lips. Spiritually disabled people are unable to rebuild the economy or build a civil society.

I am grateful to The Day editors for encouraging my modest writing experiments and support of the human rights protection initiatives. I dream about living in a law-governed state where one would not have to seek justice against law enforcement bodies themselves. Let these dreams come true!

4. My expectations for the next year are rather modest, considering the suddenness of our politicians who are full of surprises, especially in terms of the process. However, is there anybody able to explain us the reason for the tenfold rise in prices for virtually all goods or services in the last ten years against the background of indecent, according to Western standards, wages and pensions. It seems that monopolies and selfish group interests are hindering the market regulated development in the country’s economy.

5. I would like to share my New Year’s meal with respected Nina Karpachova, God bless her with health and success in the field of human rights protection.

6. I have long been The Day’s reader and admirer, participant of the Editor’s projects, and even winner of one of the newspaper’s contests.

A Chance to Enter the European House

1. The last year finally proved the irreversible change in the world order: from the rule of law to the right of power. The so enthusiastically expected Third millennium marks every its step with tragedies: New York and Washington in 2001, Afghanistan in 2002, and Iraq in 2003. The globalization of terror moves so fast that one cannot help but wonder whether the twenty-second century will ever come at all. And if yes, will there be anybody left to celebrate it? This year Ukraine has luckily avoided the recently customary big accidents and catastrophes. However, the excessively tough and aggressive false start of the elections race makes one worry. The games with no rules will probably continue. But will the country not loose in the final result?

2. Two most graphic illustrations of the Year of Russia in Ukraine, the SES and Tuzla, have become a cold shower for many Ukrainian apologists of Big Brother. I, as a historian, wasn’t surprised with these steps of our northern neighbor. They simply corroborated my fears that Russia’s imperial appetites will remain forever. One can only hope that the next year, the Year of Poland in Ukraine, will be full of purely pleasant events and impressions.

3. Last year an invisible tie has connected our family with the US, where my sister, a student, left for a year, having won a grant to study at a university. We are happy for her and have kept our fingers crossed for her during the last six months.

A qualitative change also took place in my professional life: having worked for one year in a state-owned newspaper, I switched to a private one, immediately appreciating its numerous advantages, primarily, in terms of the freedom of self-expression and lack of censorship.

4. My expectations and dreams are rather traditional. I wish that everything was fine with everybody’s families, jobs, and lives. More kindness and less aggressiveness — this is the most simple recipe of happiness for every person and society in general. Speaking about surprises, the year of the presidential elections will bring more than we ever wished.

5. Traditionally, on New Year’s Eve we wish everybody success in every good deed and initiative. These are exactly the notions I associate with Yevhen Marchuk’s activity as the Minister of Defense and previously as NSDC secretary. I would gladly offer him my New Year’s greetings in person, wishing him to implement all his ideas and plans. Owing to people like Yevhen Kyrylovych, Ukraine has quite a good chance to enter the single European home.

In my view, the brightest star of our pop stage is our Carpathian Princess Ruslana. Having visited her concert in early December, I received a huge portion of the authentic Ukrainian European culture. Thus, I raise my second glass of champagne to the splendid singer Ruslana Lyzhychko.

6. I am 26, a historian by training, journalist by vocation, and in the last 18 months also by profession. I started my work for mass media last year at the oblast Zhytomyrshchyna newspaper. From August 2003 I have been working as a reporter at the RIA-Tyzhden’ Zhytomyr city newspaper. However, my first steps in journalism were letters to The Day, which I read from the day of its foundation.

In one of my letters I suggested a motto, Not a single day without The Day! I still keep up to it, hoping that thousands of my favorite newspaper’s grateful readers will support me. Thank you, dear colleagues, for your selfless work! Happy New Year!