100 × independence
I also understand that only witnessing and being a part of this fight makes one truly understand what independence is and why it is important. Seeing blood (however little) being shed in an actual fight for independence with your own eyes will affect you more than reading about rivers of blood of your ancestors. Learning about it in history books will never compare to the personal emotional experience of watching your friends being publicly beaten and humiliated for showing their loyalty to their own country. And that is exactly what happened with me. When Yanukovich had already left country, when in Kiev Maydan was already won – the destiny of Eastern region was being decided, and my own city Kharkiv was on the brink of joining Donetsk and Luhansk in their separation from Ukraine. It was a period when in spite of it being the official symbol of the country it was dangerous to wear or put out Ukrainian flag or colors. They were months during which we fell asleep in Ukraine and prayed to wake up in Ukraine next day. It was time when my family and I were putting up new expensive wallpaper in our living room while applying for visas to Sweden in case Russian forces invaded our city. Independence from something implies dependence on something. It is about choice: to have the freedom to choose who and what you want to be dependent on. I believe that being independent means declaring and pledging alliance to certain values. Ukraine chose to share European values. Ukraine chose to be dependent on a Western heritage of humanism and freedom and democracy. Independence is about choosing your system of values. The fight for independence starts within each and every soul, and then continues on. It is about respect and love and integrity.