Story of Dmytro

Dmytro is an infantryman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During one operation, he carried a wounded comrade and suffered burns to his face. When he returned home, his son did not recognize him.

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I came back home as someone else. When I was carrying my comrade out of the shelling, I was thinking only about one thing: that he would keep breathing. That we would survive. That we would return together.

I didn’t feel my face. There was no pain then — only smoke, hot wind, and the heavy body on my shoulders.

When the shell exploded very close, it felt as if someone had pulled me out of reality. I heard my own breath, I heard my heartbeat.
After that, everything changed. My face got burned. They say I look different now.

When I entered the house, my son ran toward me. I froze. He looked at me and screamed: — That’s not my dad! That’s a monster!

I didn’t get angry. I didn’t even have the strength to raise my hand. In that moment, I realized: I was no longer the man who had left for the war.

But there, beneath the skin, behind the scars, I remained myself. The one who carried his friend, who held a weapon, who thought of his son in every battle.

The Tale of the Little Firefly Who Could Bring Back Warmth

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Once upon a time, there lived a little Firefly. He loved his friends and family very much.

One day, a huge, terrible storm broke out in the dark forest. The trees roared, lightning flashed, and everything around grew frightening.

The Firefly heard that his best friend was in trouble. Without a second thought, he flew off to help.

When he reached his friend, he gathered him onto his tiny wings and carried him through the darkness, through the cold and the wind. Suddenly, lightning struck very close, burning the Firefly’s wings and little belly. It hurt terribly.

But he did not stop. He carried his friend farther and farther until he had brought him to safety.

When the storm was over, the Firefly returned home. He looked a little different: his wings were cracked, and his little belly was burned.

The little fireflies looked at him and cried, “Oh! This isn’t our daddy! This is someone scary!”nnThen the Firefly looked gently into their eyes and said, “I have always been your daddy. I still love you more than anything in the world.”nnAnd he hugged them with his warm light. The little fireflies felt the familiar warmth.

Then they cried, “It’s our daddy! He is the bravest and best daddy in the world!”nnFrom that day on, their father’s scars no longer seemed frightening. Because what matters most is not how you look, but how brightly your heart shines.

And every night, as the little one drifted off to sleep, he saw a warm light and knew that Daddy was always near. Daddy was a hero who was never afraid of the dark.