To live and think that you know everything means to lose what was given to you..

That's what Vuiko Dezio said.

After the Annunciation, I decided to visit Deziideriy Vasilyevich at the Pass. Olya prepared small gifts for Easter, and I had a debt to Vuyk since the summer: I had a new book “Chernivtsi is a text” published, which I was supposed to give to him, but I still couldn’t get out into the mountains. Times are now such that not all circumstances are under your control..

I got to Vizhnitsa by minibus without incident, and then, according to tradition, I climbed to the Pass on foot. My meteorological assumptions did not come true. In the mountains, unlike the city, where early spring was already in control, it was still quite cool, even cold; there was no noticeable warmth yet.

But I was saved by the fact that I walked and up. Therefore, the trip turned out to be even pleasant.

Vuiko Dezio greeted me warmly. He immediately gave me herbal tea, then offered him mamalyga with feta cheese, and after the meal he began asking about the news, noting about himself with restraint: “I’ve been through the winter, that’s enough.”.

I unpacked my backpack, handed over the gifts, and then with restrained joy I presented Deziideriy Vasilyevich with a book.

Vuiko was pleasantly surprised, because I didn’t tell him anything about the book, not even as an idea. I didn’t even know about it a year ago. Everything happened spontaneously - maybe this is how I was hiding from the war?

He took it in his hands and began to carefully leaf through.

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I told Vuyku about the book, showed what parts it consisted of, and separately drew his attention to the fact that it also contains a section about war. Along the way, I explained to Deziideriy Vasilyevich that this section was not completed, in the book I deliberately left blank “lined” pages on which everyone could later write the words of our Victory.

Then he asked Vuyk: “What will our Victory be like What would you write on these blank pages

Deziideriy Vasilievich sighed, but from the fact that he answered immediately, I realized that he had already thought about it.

“After the Victory, a great test awaits us all, no less than now. People will come out of the war different, everyone was disfigured by it, everyone went their own way: some tragic, victorious, and some ordinary, limited or even shameful. The war scattered people: some were volunteers, some were in hiding or ran away. Many people were forced to leave the country. Everyone will have their own war, their own injuries, and not only on the body, but also in the head, in the soul,” Vuiko fell silent and sighed.. Stopping the list, he added: “You’ll have to start living with all this.”.

Here I already burst out: “But how? Some were at the front in the trenches, while others were always in the rear, abroad, or simply hiding..."

“So you haven’t remembered everything yet,” Vuiko stopped me. — Everyone has their own truth about war, and you have to live with it. And you will need to survive"

I no longer interrupted Deziideriy Vasilyevich, but became silent.

“Not repentance and not forgiveness will be the main thing here to explain. It’s hard to believe that sincere repentance will appear in everyone’s soul. I'm talking about everyone, because we all will have a debt to the fallen heroes and innocent victims of this war. He's already forever.

I'm having a conversation about how everyone will have to accept what is. Not to justify, but to accept. Accept for the sake of the future"

I sighed, and Vuiko, noticing my lack of understanding of what he said, suddenly said:.

“I’ll tell you a story that once upon a time, high in the mountains, old Molfar told me.

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Humanity has been living on earth for a very long time. Once upon a time it reached such a development that it invented a cure for all diseases, which gave immortality. But it was a very rare medicine, so the question arose of who should give it and who should not. So humanity stood on the brink of its destruction, because bickering, fights, and wars began.”.

Amazed by this picture, I even interrupted Vuyk: “But we’re alive.”. This means that humanity did not die then.”.

Deziideriy Vasilievich did not seem to notice my remark and continued: “And people did not die then, because there were those who accepted the fate of death. This saved humanity from self-destruction."

While I was trying to comprehend Vuyk’s words, he added: “You need to be able to accept the future.”.

“What about the traitors “- it burst out from me, and I was embarrassed because I interrupted Vuyk again.

Deziideriy Vasilievich, as if tired, instantly told me: “You are asking me about what the government should do, and I am having a conversation with you about people.”. Everyone must do their part."

Vuiko closed the book he had been holding in his hands all this time and smiled: “You did a good job. But there will be someone who will say: \? It would be better to help the front"

I have already asked myself this and similar questions, I had an answer to it that pacified my conscience. At least during the entire time I was working on the book, I didn’t pose any problems for anyone.. Therefore, Vuyka took the remark without much emotional response. He noticed this, smiled with relief, it seemed to me, and led him further: “Whoever reproaches you for this will be right.”. But you will also be innocent. Everyone will have their own truth. This is what you have to live with. And this means one thing - accept the future for the sake of the future. So that it exists"

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Vuiko fell silent, and I realized that he answered my question, I just need to rethink it.

The day was approaching evening. It's time for me to return to the city.

We talked with Deziideriy Vasilyevich about spring, Pass, war.

Then they sat silently on the deck. Finally I got up.

Saying goodbye, Vuiko Dezio hugged me and sighed: “War affects everyone. And there will be Victory. But it's a misconception that war has an end. They don't return from war. And you need to live on, and this means accepting the future for the sake of the future, the image of which will need to be created. Without such an image, common to everyone, nothing will work out. If only because without him there is no real school. Something must keep people together, to move forward together, and not constantly look back. Do not often open the doors to the past. Nothing has changed there. Create the future"

I went down the Pass into the valley and remembered the conversation with Vuyk Deziom. After a sunny day, spring began to make itself felt around us.. And from my memories I did not remember Molfar’s tale, told to me by Deziideriy Vasilyevich. A bunch of questions crowded into my head: “Is there really such a medicine that gave immortality \? \? \?

The mention of “Epic” completely scattered my thoughts. I immediately remembered that I took as the epigraph to my book the words repeated as a refrain at the beginning and end of that long-ago story: “Rise and walk the walls of Uruk.”.

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History returns to its origins - recalls the author of the Epic of Gilgamesh. But it never repeats itself.

Is it really possible that after the Victory a new test awaits us: we will all return to the state of making an existential choice in order to save our future fate, as has happened more than once in the history of other nations?

Maybe so, but before making such a choice, we must clearly formulate a common goal for ourselves and not be afraid of mistakes. Go boldly into the future.

And I remember the words of Vuyk Dezya: “The beauty of your life is embroidered with the outline of your failures.”.

The minibus just arrived to Chernivtsi.

I sat near the window. By the road behind the trench stood a grandfather I knew from a long time ago in a dark gray raincoat, holding a cow on a long rope.. This surprised me, because there is no arable land yet, and there is no point in grazing a cow. Or maybe this grandfather here is not talking about this at all, but about the fact that in life there are eternal plots, the action of which returns, but is never repeated?