Photos from @soulsofamovement

It could be the smallest molehills or the most giant mountains. Bills, our jobs, cars, stuff around the house, finances, our weight- you name it, and we probably worry about it.

Life offers no shortages or worries, and they often never stop. Something is usually preoccupying our minds. For me, it's scheduling, which I think is common for most people. I'm also a dad- hell, I would consider myself a professional worrier.

Although worrying is uncomfortable, it often passes. It vanishes as quickly as it appears, only to leave us with either a vacant mind or something else to think about. Which is all completely normal because that's what the mind does.

Now imagine being a child version of yourself. Do you remember what you worried about? Maybe what clothes you were going to wear to school, or what theme to throw your 10th birthday party. We worried much less as kids. But, one thing is for sure, we didn't bear the heavy responsibilities we do as adults.

So when a child worries- bridging into fear and panic- it’s different.

My fiancée and I watched the TV series Mad Men on Wednesday night. We were at the tail end of season two. Oh, Don Draper and your scandalous life. I highly recommend the show. It's one of the best series to capture raw character growth and how low the high-life can be. One pertinent thing to note before I continue is the show's ability to incorporate the feel and vibe of actual, current events as they happened throughout the 60s and '70s. At the end of season 2, they arrive at the cold war.

I'm 28, so I didn't live through the cold war. To understand it better, I Googled.

The cold war took place somewhere between 1947 and 1991. The soviet union and the US jockeyed for global influence following WWII. Involved were several tactics, including psychological warfare, propaganda machines, and espionage, among others. Most notably was the threat of nuclear war.

That night we both went to sleep. We woke up the next day and, as per usual, made breakfast for everyone, hung out, and then my fiancé left for work. Next is what I do most days- check what's happening on the internet.

I paused. Then my brain processed.

I inhaled various news sources, trying to understand what was happening. Video from Ukraine showed an invasion from Russian military personnel at a gas station. Another source had confirmed the attackers had captured a key airbase just northwest of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. I saw damaged homes. People fled into bomb shelters in the hopes of having something to return to when they left. Of not dying. I listened to radio reports of people living in the danger zones. It wasn't hard to hear the worry, alarm, and fear that coated their words.

Several hours later, reports from other countries began trickling in. The world began stepping up. Some nations talked of enacting severe sanctions to reduce Russia's capacity to fuel their war machine. Others opened their borders to Ukrainians and removed the need for a Visa.

I tuned into the CBC to an interview of a former Canadian foreign affairs minister. He summarized the situation as being this generation's cold war. History often repeats itself, doesn't it?

I can only imagine what the repercussions will be worldwide, and especially in Europe.

The next day, I read about Ukrainian forces pushing back and making gains. I also read that the hacker group Anonymous took involvement as well.

That evening, I sat on the floor with my 19-month son. We were playing jump-off-head-first-into-the-pile-of-blankets before bed. I looked at him. He worried not about the world's chaos. He shouldn't have to. That's what his mother and I are for. To bear the brunt of all this information, and repercussions to follow. I understand that families (especially in Ukraine) don't have this luxury. Instead, they face the fury of war. These atrocities are beyond their parents, and they face them with courage and pride for their country.

For me, hope is another form of fear. I don't think my hope will stop the Russian army from invading Ukraine. Nor will it rebuild the buildings or families that have been crushed by the machine. What I will do is pay attention and learn. So that one day, when this is all over, I can teach my kids about our triumph. When nations and people came together and overcame the tyranny of one man and his madness.

My thoughts go out to the people of Ukraine. Don’t stop fighting.

To Ukraine with love,

Chris