Today is May 1st — International Labor Day. A holiday with a curious fate. Officially international, yet in Ukraine it still echoes the Soviet past. These days, May 1st is simply a day off, without marches or major celebrations.

I grew up in post-Soviet Ukraine. Not during the Soviet calendar — but right after it. And even when we think we’ve changed the calendar, the past still shines through the new pages. We build the future, but often on an old foundation.

For some, it is a cultural occasion to gather; for others, it is a quiet family day, a day of faith and church services. And all of this does not exclude each other - in fact, it coexists in a surprisignly harmonious way.

When you are surrounded by different cultures, climate, and rhythm of life, traditions become a choice rather than a default. They no longer live in the background of your surroundings but become a conscious act. In such an environment, you begin to feel more sharply: what in this holiday is mine, what can I bring from others, and what do I leave out. Especially now, when even within the same faith, church leaders are causing divisions and reshaping communities.