I have chosen today’s story to stand with Ukraine, for the sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower. However, there are complexities to know and to hold. Sunflowers originated from lands now called Arizona and New Mexico. They were introduced to Ukraine in the mid-18th century and for the last two decades Ukraine has been the global leader in sunflower production. As an introduced species the monocultural sunflower farming has had significant impacts on soil degradation in Ukraine.
And the story itself leaves me unsettled as the Sun’s youngest daughter is left homeless without agency in a skin she did not choose continuing her devotion to her father and homelands from which she has been banished. Across the last 5 months I have been sharing weekly stories to invite us to think otherwise about situations. I’m not sure this story does that, to me to plays out heteronormative tropes of women being blindly seduced, broken-hearted and estranged from family. Perhaps we can ponder how these tropes play out in global politics.
Noticing seduction at play….
Noticing where roots sprout…
Noticing unreciprocated devotion…
