The Girl on the Bridge

I was struck by this photo in today's Times of "pro-Russian Orthodox worshippers [praying] on a bridge Monday near a roadblock in the eastern [Ukraine] city of Slovyansk, a day after militants stormed a police station." When nationalism and religion come together... allow additional travel time.

Photo: Mauricio Lima (The New York Times)

Then my eye was drawn to the girl in the striped sweater walking along the sidewalk of the bridge checking her phone. Maybe she's taking a picture of the babushkas and beards. If so, I hope she's texting or tweeting a friend with a sarcastic comment ("Time for some traffic problems in Slovyansk" or "Ikons are the iPads of the 14th C."). Or maybe she's checking out a Miley Cyrus video. That might be the most hopeful thing I can think of for Ukraine right now.